NameCensus.

UK surname

Schiller

A German occupational surname referring to a person who squints or has a squint.

In the 1881 census there were 52 people recorded with the Schiller surname, ranking it #26,281 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 236, ranked #17,470, up from #26,281 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St James Westminster, London parishes and Northam. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Torridge, Forest of Dean and Hambleton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Schiller is 243 in 2012. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 353.8%.

1881 census count

52

Ranked #26,281

Modern count

236

2016, ranked #17,470

Peak year

2012

243 bearers

Map years

4

1911 to 2016

Key insights

  • Schiller had 52 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,281 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 236 in 2016, ranked #17,470.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 139 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Schiller surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Schiller surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Schiller 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 13 #30,970
1861 historical 20 #31,364
1881 historical 52 #26,281
1891 historical 62 #28,991
1901 historical 72 #26,162
1911 historical 139 #18,745
1997 modern 219 #16,666
1998 modern 223 #16,936
1999 modern 230 #16,685
2000 modern 224 #16,934
2001 modern 210 #17,425
2002 modern 207 #17,911
2003 modern 214 #17,343
2004 modern 211 #17,590
2005 modern 228 #16,683
2006 modern 222 #17,092
2007 modern 216 #17,575
2008 modern 223 #17,395
2009 modern 234 #17,194
2010 modern 240 #17,230
2011 modern 225 #17,841
2012 modern 243 #16,839
2013 modern 234 #17,556
2014 modern 234 #17,662
2015 modern 234 #17,577
2016 modern 236 #17,470

Geography

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Where Schillers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St James Westminster, London parishes, Northam, Cardiff St John and St Mary and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Torridge, Forest of Dean, Hambleton and Dumfries Central. 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 James Westminster London (West Districts)
2 London parishes London 3
3 Northam Devon
4 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Torridge 008 Torridge
2 Forest of Dean 006 Forest of Dean
3 Torridge 001 Torridge
4 Hambleton 002 Hambleton
5 Dumfries Central Dumfries and Galloway

Forenames

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First names often paired with Schiller

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Schiller

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Schiller surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Schiller household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Schiller 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

Schiller 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

Schiller 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 Schiller 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Schiller

The surname SCHILLER originated in German-speaking areas of Europe, particularly Germany and Austria, in the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Middle High German word "schillen," meaning "to peel" or "to separate," suggesting that the name may have initially referred to an occupation such as a miller, farmer, or someone involved in processing crops.

The name SCHILLER can be traced back to the 13th century, with early records mentioning individuals with this surname living in various parts of Germany. One of the earliest recorded instances is from 1284, when a person named Chunradus Schiller was mentioned in a document from the town of Esslingen in what is now Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the SCHILLER surname became more widespread across German-speaking regions. It appeared in various historical records, including city registers, tax rolls, and guild documents. For example, in 1409, a man named Hanns Schiller was listed as a citizen of Nuremberg, a prominent city in Bavaria.

The SCHILLER name has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the most famous is Friedrich Schiller (1759-1805), a German poet, philosopher, and playwright renowned for works such as "The Robbers," "Don Carlos," and "Wilhelm Tell." His literary contributions significantly influenced the development of German literature and culture.

Another prominent figure was Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller (1759-1805), a German historian and writer who served as a professor at the University of Jena. He is best known for his multi-volume work "History of the Thirty Years' War," which became a seminal text on the subject.

In the field of science, Ferdinand Cohn (1828-1898), a German botanist and microbiologist, made significant contributions to the study of bacteria and algae. He is considered a pioneer in modern bacteriology and is credited with discovering several bacterial species.

The surname SCHILLER has also been connected to various place names throughout German-speaking regions. For instance, the town of Schillerslage in Lower Saxony, Germany, likely derived its name from an early settler or landowner with the SCHILLER surname.

While the SCHILLER surname is most commonly associated with Germany and Austria, it has also been found in other parts of Europe and beyond, particularly among descendants of German immigrants. Variations in spelling, such as Schiller, Schyller, and Schillinger, have also been documented over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Schiller families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Schiller 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 14 Schillers recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.76x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 14 2.76x
Staffordshire 13 7.59x
Surrey 9 3.64x
Buckinghamshire 4 13.05x
Sussex 3 3.51x
Essex 2 2.00x
Warwickshire 2 1.56x
Durham 1 0.66x
Gloucestershire 1 1.01x
Lanarkshire 1 0.61x
Lancashire 1 0.17x
Nottinghamshire 1 1.46x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kingswinford in Staffordshire leads with 13 Schillers recorded in 1881 and an index of 209.00x.

Place Total Index
Kingswinford 13 209.00x
Hackney London 5 17.59x
Newington 5 26.70x
Chalfont St Peter 4 1600.00x
Bow London 3 46.44x
Eastbourne 3 76.34x
Islington London 3 6.10x
Lambeth 3 6.78x
Barony 1 2.41x
Battersea 1 5.36x
Bishopwearmouth 1 7.72x
Clifton 1 19.88x
Coventry St Michael 1 24.33x
North Meols 1 16.98x
Nottingham St Nicholas 1 107.53x
Paddington London 1 5.36x
Rugby 1 57.80x
Spitalfields London 1 26.25x
West Ham 1 4.52x
West Thurrock 1 303.03x
Willesden 1 20.92x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Agnes 3
Alice 2
Jane 2
Sarah 2
Adele 1
Ann 1
Anne 1
Augusta 1
Catherine 1
E.Ruth 1
Eliza 1
Elizabeth 1
Emma 1
Florence 1
Lucy 1
Martha 1
Mary 1
Minnie 1
Mrs. 1
Phebe 1
Rosa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Frederick 3
Albert 2
Joseph 2
Arthur 1
Canning 1
Charles 1
Christian 1
Ferdinand 1
Fred. 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
George 1
Henry 1
Jacob 1
James 1
Mr. 1
Nathan 1
Norlty 1
Tookop 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Schiller households.

FAQ

Schiller surname: questions and answers

How common was the Schiller surname in 1881?

In 1881, 52 people were recorded with the Schiller surname. That placed it at #26,281 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Schiller surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 236 in 2016. That gives Schiller a modern rank of #17,470.

What does the Schiller surname mean?

A German occupational surname referring to a person who squints or has a squint.

What does the Schiller map show?

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