NameCensus.

UK surname

Lillis

Derived from the Irish Ó Laighléis, meaning "descendant of Laoighleach," a personal name meaning "bright" or "shining."

In the 1881 census there were 109 people recorded with the Lillis surname, ranking it #18,793 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 487, ranked #10,172, up from #18,793 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841) and St Marylebone. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wigan, High Peak and Manchester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lillis is 512 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 346.8%.

1881 census count

109

Ranked #18,793

Modern count

487

2016, ranked #10,172

Peak year

2000

512 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lillis had 109 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,793 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 487 in 2016, ranked #10,172.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 189 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Lillis surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lillis surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lillis 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 40 #26,118
1861 historical 73 #24,492
1881 historical 109 #18,793
1891 historical 162 #17,390
1901 historical 178 #16,284
1911 historical 189 #15,488
1997 modern 481 #9,584
1998 modern 498 #9,622
1999 modern 505 #9,587
2000 modern 512 #9,456
2001 modern 506 #9,382
2002 modern 507 #9,532
2003 modern 478 #9,807
2004 modern 480 #9,793
2005 modern 464 #9,976
2006 modern 469 #9,937
2007 modern 491 #9,689
2008 modern 494 #9,738
2009 modern 492 #9,979
2010 modern 504 #10,002
2011 modern 499 #9,965
2012 modern 489 #10,039
2013 modern 498 #10,049
2014 modern 494 #10,170
2015 modern 482 #10,281
2016 modern 487 #10,172

Geography

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Where Lillis' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841), St Marylebone and Blackburn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wigan, High Peak, Manchester, Wakefield and Birmingham. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841) Devon
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Marylebone London (North Districts)
5 Blackburn Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wigan 024 Wigan
2 High Peak 005 High Peak
3 Manchester 049 Manchester
4 Wakefield 036 Wakefield
5 Birmingham 054 Birmingham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lillis

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lillis

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Lillis surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Lillis household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

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Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Lillis 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

Lillis 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

Lillis falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Lillis 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 Lillis, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Lillis

The surname Lillis is believed to have originated in Ireland. It is an Anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic name O'Lileith, which means "descendant of Lilith." The name Lilith is derived from the Hebrew word "lilith," meaning "night creature" or "night monster." The name O'Lileith dates back to medieval times, and it is thought to have been associated with families from counties Galway and Mayo in the western part of Ireland.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Lillis can be traced back to the 16th century. One of the earliest known references is in the Fiants of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth I, which mentions a John O'Lileith in County Mayo in 1585. Another early record is from the 1659 Census of Ireland, which lists a few individuals with the surname Lillis residing in counties Galway and Mayo.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the name Lillis appeared in various historical records, such as the Hearth Money Rolls and the Census of Elphin. During this time, the name was also sometimes spelled as Lilies or Lilles. Some notable individuals with the surname Lillis from this period include Patrick Lillis, a Catholic landowner from County Mayo who was involved in the Irish Rebellion of 1641, and Edmond Lillis, a lawyer and writer from County Galway who lived in the early 18th century.

In the 19th century, the surname Lillis became more widely dispersed throughout Ireland and beyond. One notable figure was Michael Lillis (1807-1871), a Catholic priest and educator from County Mayo who served as the Bishop of Leavenworth, Kansas, in the United States. Another was John Lillis (1835-1915), a businessman and philanthropist from County Galway who contributed significantly to the development of early aviation in Ireland.

Other individuals of note with the surname Lillis include Francis Lillis (1862-1939), an Irish-American judge and politician from New York, and Patrick Lillis (1905-1981), an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and businessman who served as a member of the Dáil Éireann (Irish parliament) for several terms.

While the surname Lillis is still most commonly found in Ireland, particularly in counties Galway and Mayo, it has also spread to other parts of the world due to Irish emigration over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lillis families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lillis 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. Lancashire leads with 29 Lillis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.24x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 29 2.24x
Surrey 23 4.32x
Staffordshire 20 5.42x
Middlesex 17 1.56x
Kent 7 1.88x
Devon 5 2.20x
Hertfordshire 3 3.98x
Durham 2 0.62x
Channel Islands 1 3.09x
Norfolk 1 0.60x
Royal Navy 1 7.68x
Sussex 1 0.54x
Warwickshire 1 0.36x
Yorkshire 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Handsworth in Staffordshire leads with 16 Lillis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 176.02x.

Place Total Index
Handsworth 16 176.02x
St Marylebone London 11 18.86x
Walton Le Dale 9 258.62x
Clapham 8 58.57x
Barrow In Furness 7 39.71x
Southwark St Saviour 7 124.78x
Lambeth 6 6.30x
Oldham 5 11.95x
Stoke Damerel 5 31.43x
Gillingham 4 52.08x
Salford 4 10.49x
Wednesbury 4 43.43x
Chatham 3 29.27x
East Barnet 3 201.34x
Westminster St John 2 15.04x
Wigan 2 11.04x
Camberwell 1 1.43x
Cowfold 1 256.41x
Edgbaston 1 11.71x
Heckmondwike 1 28.74x
Islington London 1 0.94x
Lancaster 1 12.97x
Manchester 1 1.72x
Norwich St Martin At Oak 1 98.04x
Paddington London 1 2.49x
Royal Navy 1 8.98x
Southwark Christchurch 1 19.53x
St George Hanover Square 1 5.19x
St Helier 1 9.49x
St Luke London 1 5.71x
Sunderland 1 17.42x
Westoe 1 5.43x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 12
Margaret 9
Catherine 5
Jane 3
Bridget 2
Cathrine 2
Elizabeth 2
Ellen 2
Sarah 2
Agnes 1
Annie 1
Bessie 1
Bridjet 1
Charlotte 1
Elizth.A. 1
Esther 1
Honora 1
Isabella 1
Lizzie 1
Martha 1
Nelly 1
Rebecca 1
Susanna 1
Winfred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 11
James 9
Thomas 7
William 6
George 5
Patrick 3
David 2
Edward 2
Michael 2
Albert 1
Edmund 1
Fredk.A. 1
G.C. 1
Harry 1
Joseph 1
Nicholas 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Stephen 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Lillis surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lillis surname in 1881?

In 1881, 109 people were recorded with the Lillis surname. That placed it at #18,793 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lillis surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 487 in 2016. That gives Lillis a modern rank of #10,172.

What does the Lillis surname mean?

Derived from the Irish Ó Laighléis, meaning "descendant of Laoighleach," a personal name meaning "bright" or "shining."

What does the Lillis map show?

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