NameCensus.

UK surname

Hiller

A German occupational surname referring to a roof tiler or someone who works with tiles or brick.

In the 1881 census there were 421 people recorded with the Hiller surname, ranking it #7,681 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 538, ranked #9,457, down from #7,681 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Peter, London parishes and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Holland, Basingstoke and Deane and Thanet.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hiller is 621 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 27.8%.

1881 census count

421

Ranked #7,681

Modern count

538

2016, ranked #9,457

Peak year

2000

621 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hiller had 421 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,681 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 538 in 2016, ranked #9,457.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 610 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Hiller surname distribution map

The map shows where the Hiller surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Hiller surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hiller over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 222 #9,597
1861 historical 469 #5,536
1881 historical 421 #7,681
1891 historical 610 #6,300
1901 historical 428 #9,040
1911 historical 553 #7,252
1997 modern 588 #8,269
1998 modern 573 #8,643
1999 modern 606 #8,387
2000 modern 621 #8,225
2001 modern 598 #8,314
2002 modern 600 #8,465
2003 modern 577 #8,555
2004 modern 588 #8,471
2005 modern 560 #8,679
2006 modern 549 #8,824
2007 modern 551 #8,894
2008 modern 547 #9,011
2009 modern 548 #9,201
2010 modern 544 #9,430
2011 modern 548 #9,300
2012 modern 528 #9,482
2013 modern 546 #9,392
2014 modern 552 #9,362
2015 modern 545 #9,387
2016 modern 538 #9,457

Geography

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Where Hillers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Peter, London parishes, Lambeth, St Matthew Bethnal Green and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Holland, Basingstoke and Deane, Thanet and Redbridge. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 St Peter Kent
2 London parishes London 3
3 Lambeth London (South Districts)
4 St Matthew Bethnal Green London (East Districts)
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Holland 002 South Holland
2 Basingstoke and Deane 003 Basingstoke and Deane
3 Basingstoke and Deane 004 Basingstoke and Deane
4 Thanet 010 Thanet
5 Redbridge 023 Redbridge

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hiller

These lists show first names that appear often with the Hiller surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hiller

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hiller, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Hiller surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Hiller household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Hiller is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hiller is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hiller falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hiller is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Hiller, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Hiller

The surname Hiller is derived from a German occupational name for a maker of hill staffs, also known as a pitchfork. It originates from the Middle High German word "hille" meaning hill or heap, and the suffix "-er" denoting someone who does something.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Hiller dates back to the 13th century, appearing in the Codex Traditionum Monasterii Mellicensis, a medieval cartulary from the Melk Abbey in Austria. In this document, a certain "Heinricus Hillarius" is mentioned in relation to a land transaction in the year 1256.

During the Middle Ages, the name Hiller was predominantly found in the southern regions of Germany, particularly in the areas around Bavaria and Austria. It is believed that the name may have first emerged in these regions due to the prevalence of agricultural communities and the need for specialized occupations such as pitchfork makers.

In the 14th century, the Hiller name can be found in various historical records, including the Württembergisches Urkundenbuch, a collection of documents from the region of Württemberg in southwestern Germany. One notable entry from 1358 mentions a "Hainrich Hiller" in relation to a land dispute.

As the name spread throughout Germany and beyond, variations in spelling emerged, such as Hiller, Hiller, and Hillert. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the personal preferences of scribes and record-keepers.

Notable individuals with the surname Hiller include:

1. Johann Adam Hiller (1728-1804), a German composer and writer on music theory. 2. Ferdinand Hiller (1811-1885), a German composer and conductor who was a friend of Robert Schumann and Felix Mendelssohn. 3. Wendy Hiller (1912-2003), an English actress best known for her role in the film "Pygmalion" (1938). 4. Lejaren Hiller (1924-1994), an American composer and chemist who pioneered the use of computer technology in music composition. 5. Arthur Hiller (1923-2016), a Canadian-American film director known for movies such as "Love Story" (1970) and "The In-Laws" (1979).

While the Hiller surname is predominantly associated with German-speaking regions, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and intermarriage. However, its origins can be traced back to the occupational name for pitchfork makers in medieval Germany.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hiller families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hiller surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 101 Hillers recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.46x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 101 2.46x
Yorkshire 73 1.79x
Surrey 68 3.40x
Kent 49 3.50x
Lancashire 30 0.62x
Sussex 14 2.02x
Essex 12 1.48x
Lanarkshire 9 0.68x
Suffolk 9 1.80x
Hampshire 8 0.95x
Wiltshire 7 1.93x
Durham 5 0.41x
Dorset 4 1.48x
Glamorgan 4 0.56x
Staffordshire 4 0.29x
Cheshire 3 0.33x
Lincolnshire 3 0.46x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.54x
Gloucestershire 2 0.25x
Oxfordshire 2 0.79x
Shropshire 2 0.56x
Warwickshire 2 0.19x
Berkshire 1 0.32x
Derbyshire 1 0.16x
Devon 1 0.12x
Monmouthshire 1 0.34x
Northamptonshire 1 0.26x
Northumberland 1 0.16x
Somerset 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Peters in Kent leads with 45 Hillers recorded in 1881 and an index of 694.44x.

Place Total Index
St Peters 45 694.44x
Bethnal Green London 20 11.21x
Ecclesall Bierlow 20 24.16x
Islington London 19 4.77x
Sutton 19 131.22x
Battersea 14 9.26x
Holy Trinity 13 13.28x
Lambeth 12 3.35x
Burton 11 10000.00x
Withington 10 63.69x
Dewsbury 9 21.56x
Stoke Newington London 9 28.13x
Toxteth Park 8 4.85x
Alderton 7 933.33x
Bermondsey 7 5.73x
Bradford 7 7.11x
Gargrave 7 386.74x
Long Ditton 7 214.07x
Sheffield 7 5.40x
Govan 6 1.83x
Hackney London 6 2.61x
Liverpool 6 2.03x
St George In East London 6 15.53x
West Ham 6 3.35x
Chawton 5 757.58x
Devizes St Mary 5 136.24x
East Ham 5 33.24x
Kensington London 5 2.19x
Limehouse London 5 11.09x
Shoreditch London 5 2.81x
Edmonton 4 12.09x
Nether Hallam 4 7.26x
St Botolph Aldgate London 4 47.28x
Broadwater 3 18.89x
Durham St Nicholas 3 100.00x
Great Warford 3 612.24x
Ordsall 3 70.75x
Parkstone 3 95.54x
St Pancras London 3 0.91x
Tamworth 3 40.49x
Woodplumpton 3 172.41x
Bampton 2 102.04x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 2 14.37x
Bow London 2 3.83x
Broughton In Salford 2 4.49x
Gateshead 2 2.19x
Glasgow 2 0.85x
Paddington London 2 1.32x
Shrewsbury Holy Cross 2 51.02x
Spalding 2 15.35x
St Anne Soho London 2 8.53x
St Luke London 2 3.04x
Stow On The Wold 2 111.73x
Swansea St Thomas 2 27.86x
Barnetby Le Wold 1 84.03x
Calne 1 13.37x
Camberwell 1 0.38x
Chiswick 1 4.46x
Deptford St Paul 1 0.93x
Eckington 1 6.40x
Edgbaston 1 3.11x
Exning 1 39.68x
Fulham London 1 1.68x
Guildford St Nicholas 1 28.25x
Kirkley 1 23.92x
Lambourn 1 32.79x
Llanvair Discoed 1 370.37x
Maryhill 1 3.85x
Millbrook 1 4.72x
Portsmouth 1 5.16x
Richmond 1 3.57x
Southampton St Mary 1 1.89x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 1.21x
St Dionis Backchurch 1 333.33x
Thornaby 1 6.57x
Tooting Graveney 1 17.95x
Towcester 1 25.13x
Wandsworth 1 2.53x
Westgate 1 2.64x
Westminster St James 1 2.37x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Hiller surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Elizabeth 17
Mary 9
Sarah 9
Emma 8
Annie 7
Charlotte 6
Eliza 6
Emily 6
Jane 6
Alice 5
Ann 5
Harriet 5
Ellen 4
Kate 4
Louisa 4
Maria 4
Florence 3
Anne 2
Annette 2
Barbara 2
Caroline 2
Edith 2
Frances 2
Helen 2
Janet 2
Jemima 2
Jessie 2
Lena 2
Louise 2
Lydia 2
Margaret 2
Marie 2
Marion 2
Matilda 2
Rachel 2
Rosetta 2
Rosine 2
Victoria 2
Agnes 1
Beatrice 1
Bertha 1
Bessie 1
Bridget 1
Eleanor 1
Elinor 1
Elizth. 1
Helena 1
Ilma 1
Jeane 1
Wilkelurne 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Hiller surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 20
George 19
John 18
Henry 13
James 11
Albert 8
Thomas 7
Charles 5
Harry 5
Joseph 5
Samuel 5
Alfred 4
Edward 4
Frederick 4
Geo. 4
Jacob 3
Arthur 2
Benj. 2
Caleb 2
E. 2
Ernest 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Hermann 2
Israel 2
Michael 2
Richard 2
Walter 2
Antonio 1
Archibald 1
Benjamin 1
Carl 1
Colmer 1
Daniel 1
Edmund 1
Ellis 1
Ethelbert 1
Ferdinand 1
Fred'k. 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Horris 1
I. 1
Isaac 1
J.H. 1
Jane 1
Jas. 1
Jessie 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Hiller surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hiller surname in 1881?

In 1881, 421 people were recorded with the Hiller surname. That placed it at #7,681 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hiller surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 538 in 2016. That gives Hiller a modern rank of #9,457.

What does the Hiller surname mean?

A German occupational surname referring to a roof tiler or someone who works with tiles or brick.

What does the Hiller map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Hiller bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.