NameCensus.

UK surname

Hillis

Derived from a place name meaning "hill" or "slopes" in Old English, likely referring to a person's residence.

In the 1881 census there were 132 people recorded with the Hillis surname, ranking it #16,744 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 502, ranked #9,961, up from #16,744 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Girvan, Govan Combination and St Dunstan Stepney. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Tyneside, Black Isle South and Hillhead.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hillis is 502 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 280.3%.

1881 census count

132

Ranked #16,744

Modern count

502

2016, ranked #9,961

Peak year

2015

502 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hillis had 132 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,744 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 502 in 2016, ranked #9,961.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 223 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Hillis surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hillis surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Hillis 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 85 #18,940
1861 historical 223 #10,942
1881 historical 132 #16,744
1891 historical 193 #15,335
1901 historical 164 #17,144
1911 historical 72 #25,642
1997 modern 429 #10,440
1998 modern 448 #10,442
1999 modern 447 #10,497
2000 modern 456 #10,321
2001 modern 442 #10,388
2002 modern 447 #10,501
2003 modern 439 #10,487
2004 modern 439 #10,516
2005 modern 446 #10,283
2006 modern 456 #10,149
2007 modern 461 #10,153
2008 modern 461 #10,235
2009 modern 460 #10,481
2010 modern 491 #10,192
2011 modern 489 #10,125
2012 modern 473 #10,279
2013 modern 494 #10,104
2014 modern 494 #10,170
2015 modern 502 #9,972
2016 modern 502 #9,961

Geography

Back to top

Where Hillis' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Girvan, Govan Combination, St Dunstan Stepney, Glasgow and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Tyneside, Black Isle South, Hillhead, Whitfield and Hillington. 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 Girvan Ayr
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 St Dunstan Stepney London (East Districts)
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Tyneside 010 South Tyneside
2 Black Isle South Highland
3 Hillhead Glasgow City
4 Whitfield Dundee City
5 Hillington Glasgow City

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Hillis

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Hillis

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hillis, 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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Hillis surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Hillis household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Hillis is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Hillis is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hillis falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hillis is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Hillis

The surname Hillis is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "hyll," meaning hill or elevated ground. It likely originated as a toponymic surname, referring to someone who lived near a hill or in a hilly region.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname date back to the 13th century in various parts of England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Cambridgeshire. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John Hillis, who was mentioned in the Lancashire Assize Rolls in 1285.

In the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire, compiled in 1273, there is a reference to a place called "Hillesden," which may have been derived from the same root as the surname Hillis. This suggests that the name may have been associated with certain locations or settlements in medieval England.

Over time, the surname underwent various spelling variations, including Hillis, Hilles, Hillys, and Hilhouse. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the preferences of scribes and record-keepers.

One notable bearer of the surname was Sir Robert Hillis (c. 1495-1565), an English landowner and Member of Parliament who served during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another was William Hillis (1684-1764), a prominent English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works.

In Scotland, the surname Hillis is also found, and it is believed to have originated independently from the English version, possibly derived from the Gaelic word "choill," meaning wood or forest. One of the earliest recorded Scots bearing this name was John Hillis, who was listed in the Ragman Rolls of 1296.

Across the Atlantic, the Hillis surname made its way to the American colonies in the 17th and 18th centuries, with immigrants from England, Scotland, and Ireland settling in various parts of the New World. Notable individuals with this surname in America include Samuel Hillis (1790-1863), a prominent Baptist minister and educator in Kentucky, and John Hillis (1826-1901), a Union Army officer during the American Civil War.

As time passed, the Hillis surname spread across the globe, carried by individuals and families who sought new opportunities or were driven by various historical events and migrations. Despite its widespread distribution, the name remains rooted in its English and Scottish origins, reflecting the rich tapestry of linguistic and cultural influences that have shaped surnames over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Hillis families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hillis 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. Lanarkshire leads with 56 Hillis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.45x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 56 13.45x
Renfrewshire 17 17.04x
Lancashire 13 0.85x
Middlesex 9 0.70x
Warwickshire 8 2.46x
Devon 6 2.24x
Angus 4 3.35x
Yorkshire 4 0.31x
Dunbartonshire 3 8.67x
Worcestershire 3 1.78x
Ayrshire 2 2.08x
Surrey 2 0.32x
Cheshire 1 0.35x
Cumberland 1 0.90x
Essex 1 0.39x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 5.36x
Midlothian 1 0.58x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Glasgow in Lanarkshire leads with 26 Hillis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 35.17x.

Place Total Index
Glasgow 26 35.17x
Govan 16 15.54x
Aston 8 8.95x
Paisley Middle Church 8 137.69x
Barony 7 6.64x
East Greenock 7 74.31x
Denbury 5 3333.33x
Withington 5 101.63x
Bromley London 4 14.12x
Cadder 4 129.87x
Dundee 4 8.98x
Toxteth Park 4 7.73x
Dumbarton 3 62.24x
Hulme 3 9.41x
Maryhill 3 36.81x
Cotheridge 2 2500.00x
Girvan 2 82.64x
Reigate Foreign 2 29.46x
Spitalfields London 2 20.66x
Wortley In Bramley 2 19.80x
Abbey 1 6.57x
Cheadle 1 18.42x
Dalkeith 1 29.41x
Ecclesfield 1 10.70x
Kings Norton 1 6.63x
Mile End Old Town London 1 3.65x
Millom 1 29.41x
Paddington London 1 2.11x
Parton 1 312.50x
Prittlewell 1 28.41x
Renfrew 1 30.40x
Rotherham 1 13.91x
St George Hanover Square 1 4.41x
Stoke Damerel 1 5.33x
Tottington Higher End 1 57.47x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Beatrice 2
Emma 2
Jessie 2
Sarah 2
Adelaide 1
Ann 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Charlotte 1
Eagnes 1
Edith 1
Edney 1
Eliza 1
Elizabeth 1
Georgina 1
Gerty 1
Harriett 1
Johana 1
Lizzie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Joseph 4
James 3
William 3
Abraham 1
Alexander 1
Benjamin 1
Elias 1
Ernest 1
Harry 1
Julius 1
Leopold 1
Robert 1
Saml.E. 1
Samuel 1

FAQ

Hillis surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hillis surname in 1881?

In 1881, 132 people were recorded with the Hillis surname. That placed it at #16,744 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hillis surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 502 in 2016. That gives Hillis a modern rank of #9,961.

What does the Hillis surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "hill" or "slopes" in Old English, likely referring to a person's residence.

What does the Hillis map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Hillis 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.