NameCensus.

UK surname

Lilly

Derived from the name of the flower, likely referring to a person who lived near lilies or sold lilies.

In the 1881 census there were 1,842 people recorded with the Lilly surname, ranking it #2,366 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,184, ranked #5,022, down from #2,366 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bothwell, Dudley and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, King's Lynn and West Norfolk and Isle of Wight.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lilly is 1,842 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 35.7%.

1881 census count

1,842

Ranked #2,366

Modern count

1,184

2016, ranked #5,022

Peak year

1881

1,842 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lilly had 1,842 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,366 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,184 in 2016, ranked #5,022.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,842 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Lilly surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lilly surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Lilly 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 1,421 #2,023
1861 historical 1,300 #2,196
1881 historical 1,842 #2,366
1891 historical 1,774 #2,576
1901 historical 1,721 #3,007
1911 historical 1,503 #3,207
1997 modern 1,107 #5,041
1998 modern 1,142 #5,097
1999 modern 1,153 #5,101
2000 modern 1,144 #5,092
2001 modern 1,104 #5,153
2002 modern 1,136 #5,142
2003 modern 1,127 #5,072
2004 modern 1,097 #5,198
2005 modern 1,097 #5,140
2006 modern 1,116 #5,080
2007 modern 1,122 #5,096
2008 modern 1,111 #5,177
2009 modern 1,139 #5,171
2010 modern 1,153 #5,228
2011 modern 1,156 #5,161
2012 modern 1,169 #5,019
2013 modern 1,185 #5,049
2014 modern 1,202 #5,013
2015 modern 1,191 #5,006
2016 modern 1,184 #5,022

Geography

Back to top

Where Lillys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bothwell, Dudley, London parishes and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Isle of Wight, Welwyn Hatfield and Forgewood. 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 Bothwell Lanark
2 Dudley Staffordshire
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 047 Cornwall
2 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 019 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
3 Isle of Wight 003 Isle of Wight
4 Welwyn Hatfield 007 Welwyn Hatfield
5 Forgewood North Lanarkshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Lilly

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Lilly

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Lilly, 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 Lilly surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Lilly 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, Lilly 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

Lilly is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Lilly 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 Lilly 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 Lilly, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Lilly

The surname Lilly originated in England, with roots tracing back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "lilie," meaning the flower lily, which was often used as a nickname for someone of a pure or virtuous nature.

The earliest known record of the Lilly surname appears in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire in 1195, where a person named William Lili is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 12th century, likely as a descriptive nickname that later became a hereditary surname.

In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, there is a reference to a Robert Lylye from Oxfordshire, indicating the name's spread across different regions of England during the Middle Ages. The varied spellings, such as Lili, Lylye, and Lillie, reflect the fluid nature of surnames in those times.

One notable early bearer of the Lilly surname was John Lylly (or Lyly), a renowned English writer and playwright from the Elizabethan era, born in 1554 and died in 1606. He was best known for his courtly prose fiction, including the works "Euphues: The Anatomy of Wit" and "Euphues and His England."

Another prominent figure was William Lilly, an English astrologer and occultist born in 1602 and died in 1681. He was one of the most famous astrologers of his time and published several influential works, including "Christian Astrology" and an autobiography titled "William Lilly's History of His Life and Times."

In the late 16th century, the Lilly surname was also associated with the village of Lilley in Hertfordshire, which derived its name from the Old English word "leah," meaning a woodland clearing. This suggests a potential connection between the surname and a place name, a common phenomenon in the development of English surnames.

Other notable bearers of the Lilly surname include Everard Lilly, an English composer and organist from the 17th century, and John Lilly, an American writer and philosopher born in 1915, known for his works on consciousness and human potential.

While the Lilly surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world through migration and diaspora, with bearers of the name found in countries such as the United States, Australia, and Canada.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Lilly families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lilly 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 243 Lillys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.15x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 243 1.15x
Middlesex 191 1.07x
Warwickshire 120 2.68x
Surrey 106 1.22x
Yorkshire 106 0.60x
Kent 78 1.29x
Essex 76 2.17x
Lincolnshire 65 2.29x
Durham 60 1.13x
Suffolk 59 2.72x
Worcestershire 59 2.54x
Derbyshire 51 1.83x
Norfolk 46 1.68x
Hampshire 44 1.21x
Lanarkshire 43 0.75x
Staffordshire 40 0.67x
Cornwall 37 1.84x
Dorset 36 3.08x
Nottinghamshire 36 1.50x
Devon 35 0.95x
Northamptonshire 30 1.79x
Gloucestershire 27 0.77x
Cambridgeshire 25 2.22x
Somerset 25 0.87x
Glamorgan 23 0.74x
Hertfordshire 21 1.71x
Huntingdonshire 20 5.66x
Cheshire 14 0.36x
Monmouthshire 12 0.93x
Northumberland 12 0.45x
Sussex 11 0.37x
Leicestershire 9 0.46x
Herefordshire 7 0.96x
Midlothian 7 0.29x
Montgomeryshire 7 1.72x
Wiltshire 7 0.45x
Berkshire 5 0.37x
Merionethshire 5 1.54x
Flintshire 4 0.84x
Perthshire 3 0.38x
Roxburghshire 3 0.93x
Aberdeenshire 2 0.12x
Bedfordshire 2 0.22x
Channel Islands 2 0.38x
Cumberland 2 0.13x
Renfrewshire 2 0.15x
Angus 1 0.06x
Ayrshire 1 0.08x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.21x
East Lothian 1 0.42x
Oxfordshire 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. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 59 Lillys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.78x.

Place Total Index
Aston 59 4.78x
Birmingham 39 2.61x
Dudley 31 10.98x
Islington London 31 1.80x
Feock 28 222.22x
Manchester 27 2.85x
Ringwould 27 520.23x
Bothwell 23 14.75x
Coppull 19 169.04x
Hackney London 18 1.81x
Faversham 17 29.38x
Lambeth 17 1.10x
Long Melford 17 84.45x
Portsea 17 2.38x
Southwark St George Martyr 17 4.75x
Barton Upon Irwell 16 10.07x
Filby 16 450.70x
Sheffield 16 2.85x
West Ham 15 1.94x
Chorley 14 11.82x
Gillingham 14 69.79x
Nottingham St Mary 14 2.26x
Codnor Loscoe 13 58.96x
Eye 13 162.70x
Great Chesterford 13 233.81x
Mile End Old Town London 13 3.43x
Barony 12 0.82x
Bow London 12 5.30x
Gateshead 12 3.03x
Kirkley 12 66.23x
Royston 12 114.94x
Wandsworth 12 7.01x
Oldham 11 1.62x
Ryhope 11 29.95x
Salford 11 1.77x
Swansea Town 11 4.33x
Alpheton 10 657.89x
Hemingford Abbots 10 421.94x
Leyton Low 10 14.02x
St Woollos 10 6.97x
Sutton 10 14.13x
Warrington 10 4.00x
Bedminster 9 3.35x
Broughton In Salford 9 4.66x
Camberwell 9 0.79x
Ellington 9 378.15x
Esher 9 74.20x
Gainsborough 9 13.43x
Hartlepool 9 11.97x
Heath Charnock 9 160.43x
Leeds 9 0.90x
Paddington London 9 1.38x
St Pancras London 9 0.63x
Stapleford 9 957.45x
Walsall Borough 9 19.31x
Battersea 8 1.22x
Brightside Bierlow 8 2.31x
Coventry St Michael 8 5.55x
Gorleston 8 14.54x
Hucknall Torkard 8 13.16x
Kings Norton 8 3.84x
March 8 21.21x
Newington 8 1.22x
Paignton 8 28.40x
Poplar London 8 2.38x
Spondon 8 74.70x
Walmersley Cum 8 23.72x
West Derby 8 1.30x
Blankney 7 174.56x
Cheetham 7 4.45x
Hammersmith London 7 1.60x
Harborne 7 3.64x
Llanllwchaiarn 7 39.66x
Normanby In 7 14.86x
Norwich St Benedict 7 57.42x
Plumstead 7 3.46x
Rastrick 7 14.30x
Staindrop 7 87.17x
Thaxted 7 60.09x
Thornton In Fylde 7 15.16x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 113
John 106
George 60
Thomas 55
Charles 40
James 37
Henry 33
Robert 30
Edward 25
Joseph 23
Alfred 22
Frederick 19
Walter 18
Arthur 17
Samuel 17
Richard 14
Albert 12
Harry 10
Benjamin 9
Wm. 8
Ernest 7
Francis 6
Peter 6
Daniel 5
David 5
Edmund 5
Frank 5
Geo. 4
Herbert 4
Michael 4
Christopher 3
Edwin 3
Isaac 3
Jas. 3
Martin 3
Robt. 3
Thos. 3
Tom 3
Abraham 2
Adam 2
Deodatus 2
Frederic 2
Fredk. 2
Fredrick 2
Mark 2
Oliver 2
Royal 2
Simion 2
Stephen 2
Sydney 2

FAQ

Lilly surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lilly surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,842 people were recorded with the Lilly surname. That placed it at #2,366 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lilly surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,184 in 2016. That gives Lilly a modern rank of #5,022.

What does the Lilly surname mean?

Derived from the name of the flower, likely referring to a person who lived near lilies or sold lilies.

What does the Lilly map show?

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