NameCensus.

UK surname

Lillie

A diminutive of Elizabeth or a surname derived from the lily flower, symbolizing purity and rebirth.

In the 1881 census there were 738 people recorded with the Lillie surname, ranking it #4,965 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 914, ranked #6,236, down from #4,965 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Gateshead and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Newport, Scarborough and Gateshead.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lillie is 986 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 23.8%.

1881 census count

738

Ranked #4,965

Modern count

914

2016, ranked #6,236

Peak year

1901

986 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lillie had 738 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,965 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 914 in 2016, ranked #6,236.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 986 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Lillie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lillie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lillie 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 501 #4,984
1861 historical 571 #4,609
1881 historical 738 #4,965
1891 historical 867 #4,734
1901 historical 986 #4,817
1911 historical 769 #5,636
1997 modern 931 #5,812
1998 modern 950 #5,901
1999 modern 952 #5,935
2000 modern 948 #5,935
2001 modern 912 #6,027
2002 modern 932 #6,026
2003 modern 922 #5,970
2004 modern 896 #6,107
2005 modern 904 #6,009
2006 modern 898 #6,056
2007 modern 924 #5,965
2008 modern 936 #5,946
2009 modern 944 #6,027
2010 modern 954 #6,102
2011 modern 953 #6,063
2012 modern 917 #6,157
2013 modern 927 #6,208
2014 modern 916 #6,292
2015 modern 932 #6,164
2016 modern 914 #6,236

Geography

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Where Lillies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Gateshead, London parishes, Edinburgh and Jarrow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Newport, Scarborough, Gateshead and Sunderland. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Gateshead Durham
3 London parishes London 3
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Jarrow Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Newport 004 Newport
2 Scarborough 002 Scarborough
3 Gateshead 002 Gateshead
4 Sunderland 005 Sunderland
5 Gateshead 024 Gateshead

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lillie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lillie

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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, Lillie 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

Lillie 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

Lillie falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Lillie 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Lillie

The surname Lillie has its origins in England and dates back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "lilie," meaning lily or the lily flower. The name was likely initially given as a nickname or descriptive name to someone who lived near a place where lilies grew in abundance or someone who had a particular fondness for the flower.

In medieval England, surnames were often derived from occupations, locations, physical traits, or personal characteristics. The earliest recorded instance of the Lillie surname can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which was a census-like record of landowners in England during the reign of King Edward I. The entry lists a Willelmus Lilie residing in Buckinghamshire.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the Lillie surname was most prevalent in the counties of Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Gloucestershire. Variations in spelling were common in those times, and the name appeared as Lilie, Lylye, and Lylie in various historical records.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the Lillie surname was Sir Peter Lillie (c. 1475-1543), a prominent English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1534. He was also a member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers, one of the oldest livery companies in the City of London.

Another significant figure was George Lillie (1638-1687), a Scottish writer, and poet who is best known for his satirical works critiquing the court of King Charles II. His most famous work, "The Husbandman's Manual," was published in 1677.

In the 18th century, James Lillie (1728-1798) was a Scottish-born British army officer who served in the American Revolutionary War. He is particularly notable for his role in the Battle of Freeman's Farm during the Saratoga Campaign, where he was captured by American forces.

John Lillie (1806-1867) was a prominent British architect and civil engineer in the 19th century. He is best known for his work on the design and construction of several notable bridges, including the Tynemouth Pier and the Sunderland Bridge over the River Wear.

Finally, Sir Ralph Lillie (1856-1924) was a British civil servant and administrator who served as the Governor of Mauritius from 1911 to 1916. He was knighted in 1911 for his services to the British Empire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lillie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lillie 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. Northumberland leads with 124 Lillies recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.69x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 124 11.69x
Lanarkshire 82 3.56x
Durham 71 3.35x
Aberdeenshire 59 8.93x
Middlesex 54 0.76x
Berwickshire 47 54.43x
Yorkshire 34 0.48x
Lancashire 31 0.37x
Roxburghshire 29 22.45x
Fife 24 5.69x
Selkirkshire 23 35.65x
Banffshire 18 12.17x
Midlothian 17 1.78x
Essex 15 1.07x
Kent 15 0.62x
Northamptonshire 14 2.09x
Staffordshire 8 0.33x
Hampshire 7 0.48x
Nottinghamshire 7 0.73x
Bedfordshire 6 1.63x
Gloucestershire 6 0.43x
Morayshire 6 5.42x
Surrey 6 0.17x
Angus 4 0.61x
Renfrewshire 4 0.72x
Flintshire 3 1.57x
Suffolk 3 0.35x
Glamorgan 2 0.16x
Kirkcudbrightshire 2 1.94x
Perthshire 2 0.62x
West Lothian 2 1.86x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.23x
Caithness 1 1.02x
Hertfordshire 1 0.20x
Peeblesshire 1 2.98x
Shropshire 1 0.16x
Warwickshire 1 0.06x

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 31 Lillies recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.57x.

Place Total Index
Glasgow 31 7.57x
Barony 26 4.45x
Govan 22 3.86x
Galashiels 17 71.28x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 15 23.67x
Deptford St Paul 13 6.93x
Gateshead 13 8.18x
St Marylebone London 13 3.41x
Westoe 13 10.81x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 12 3.12x
Peterhead 12 34.36x
Akeld 11 3235.29x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 11 11.97x
Newhills 11 81.36x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 10 8.09x
Bishopwearmouth 10 5.49x
Cullen 10 182.48x
Hawick 10 34.59x
Hutton 10 421.94x
Leeds 10 2.51x
Linthorpe 9 21.34x
Rusholme 9 39.88x
Burslem 8 11.60x
Chirton 8 33.32x
Clipston 8 470.59x
Crail 8 185.61x
Crossgate 8 86.21x
Earlston 8 185.19x
Embleton 8 353.98x
St Pancras London 8 1.39x
Wakes Colne 8 650.41x
West Derby 8 3.23x
Westruther 8 484.85x
Ancroft 7 187.67x
Fraserburgh 7 37.65x
Hammersmith London 7 3.99x
Kilmany 7 451.61x
Langton 7 564.52x
New Deer 7 58.53x
Nottingham St Mary 7 2.82x
Stockton On Tees 7 6.85x
Swinton In Rotherham 7 37.45x
Bedford St Peter 6 62.57x
Cowpen 6 24.56x
Ford 6 154.64x
Glanton 6 491.80x
Humbleton 6 1935.48x
Irchester 6 144.23x
Kelso 6 46.62x
Linton 6 447.76x
Newcastle On Tyne St 6 10.91x
Tetbury 6 75.66x
Dunse 5 61.05x
Edinkillie 5 173.01x
Elmstead 5 220.26x
Lancaster 5 9.93x
Portsea 5 1.75x
Ruswarp 5 63.61x
Skerton 5 71.94x
St Fergus 5 133.69x
St George Hanover Square 5 3.98x
Acomb 4 155.04x
Berwick Upon Tweed 4 17.79x
Ceres 4 78.90x
Fogo 4 350.88x
Hepscott 4 769.23x
Islington London 4 0.58x
Tweedmouth 4 30.23x
Aberdeen Old Machar 3 2.18x
Bethnal Green London 3 0.97x
Byker 3 5.72x
Doxford 3 1250.00x
Elswick 3 3.54x
Fyvie 3 27.83x
Manchester 3 0.79x
Melrose 3 18.47x
Melrose 3 26.86x
Northop 3 44.18x
Rotherhithe 3 3.41x
South Shields 3 15.87x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 30
Elizabeth 21
Jane 16
Margaret 15
Isabella 7
Ann 6
Sarah 6
Hannah 4
Louisa 4
Agnes 3
Alice 3
Annie 3
Ellen 3
Laura 3
Lucy 3
Maria 3
Ada 2
Beatrice 2
Caroline 2
Catherine 2
Eliz. 2
Elizbeth 2
Elleanor 2
Emily 2
Harriet 2
Isabel 2
May 2
Victoria 2
Anne 1
Ceilia 1
Christiana 1
Elisth. 1
Eliza 1
Elizth. 1
Ellena 1
Ellenor 1
Emma 1
Ethel 1
Florence 1
Harriett 1
Helan 1
Helen 1
J.S. 1
Janet 1
Jesse 1
Jessie 1
Joanna 1
Johanna 1
John 1
Julia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 35
William 28
George 19
James 19
Robert 17
Thomas 17
Alexander 7
Edward 6
Henry 6
Richard 6
Charles 4
Ernest 4
Andrew 3
David 3
Frederick 3
Mark 3
Samuel 3
Albert 2
Benjamin 2
Joseph 2
Adam 1
Alexandra 1
Archibald 1
Arthur 1
Cecil 1
Edwin 1
Eustace 1
Felix 1
Gordon 1
H.Y. 1
Horace 1
Infant 1
Jno. 1
Lionel 1
Norton 1
Paul 1
Percy 1
Peter 1
Phillip 1
Roger 1
Seymour 1
Sydney 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Lillie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lillie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 738 people were recorded with the Lillie surname. That placed it at #4,965 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lillie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 914 in 2016. That gives Lillie a modern rank of #6,236.

What does the Lillie surname mean?

A diminutive of Elizabeth or a surname derived from the lily flower, symbolizing purity and rebirth.

What does the Lillie map show?

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