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Tiller History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Tiller History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany
Ireland

The name Tiller was brought to England in the wave of migration that followed the Norman Conquest of 1066. It is a name for a tiler. The name describes a person whose job it was to bake clay into tiles in an oven, a common occupation in medieval times.

Early Origins of the Tiller family

The surname Tiller was first found in Glamorgan, Monmouthshire and Herefordshire where they were granted large estates after the Norman Conquest in 1066.

One of the more interesting entries for the name was Walter or Wat Tyler, Tegheler (d. 1381), and English "rebel, had no real surname, all the above designations referring to his trade, which was that of covering roofs with tiles. There were several others of his calling among the ringleaders of the Peasants' Revolt of 1381, one, it is said, of the same Christian name, and some confusion has resulted. He is usually credited, for instance, with having given the signal for the rising in Kent by killing a collector of the poll-tax who insulted his daughter. " 1

Early History of the Tiller family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Tiller research. Another 130 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1341 and 1381 are included under the topic Early Tiller History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tiller Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, Norman French and other languages became incorporated into English throughout the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Tiller include Tyler, Tilliere, Tylor, Tiler, Tellier and others.

Early Notables of the Tiller family

More information is included under the topic Early Tiller Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tiller Ranking

In the United States, the name Tiller is the 4,214^th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 2 However, in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Tiller is ranked the 612^nd most popular surname with an estimated 73 people with that name. 3

Migration of the Tiller family to Ireland

Some of the Tiller family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tiller migration to the United States +

In England at this time, the uncertainty of the political and religious environment of the time caused many families to board ships for distant British colonies in the hopes of finding land and opportunity, and escaping persecution. The voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, though, and many arrived in North America sick, starved, and destitute. Those who did make it, however, were greeted with greater opportunities and freedoms that they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Early immigration records have shown some of the first Tillers to arrive on North American shores:

Tiller Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Rich Tiller, who landed in Virginia in 1657 4
Tho Tiller, who arrived in Virginia in 1657 4
William Tiller, who landed in Virginia in 1657 4
Ales Tiller, who landed in Virginia in 1657 4

Tiller Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Pauline Tiller, aged 28, who arrived in New York, NY in 1855 4
Joseph Tiller, aged 16, who landed in America from Cornwall, in 1892

Tiller Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

May Tiller, aged 5, who landed in America from England, in 1902
Ellen Tiller, aged 18, who immigrated to the United States from England, in 1902
Samuel John Tiller, aged 23, who settled in America from Cornwall, in 1904
Charles Tiller, aged 21, who landed in America from Southampton, in 1906
Percy Tiller, aged 28, who landed in America from Southampton, England, in 1907
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Tiller migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Tiller Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century

Frank Tiller, aged 34, who settled in Winnipeg, Canada, in 1911
Mary Tiller, aged 22, who settled in Welteville, Newfoundland, in 1923
Percy Tiller, aged 24, who settled in Newtown, Newfoundland, in 1923
Raymond Tiller, aged 42, who settled in Bonavista, Newfoundland, in 1923
Cecil Tiller, aged 28, who settled in Bonvista, Newfoundland, in 1923
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Tiller migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Tiller Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mrs. Rebecca Tiller, (b. 1804), aged 35, Cornish dairywoman travelling aboard the ship "Orient" arriving in New South Wales, Australia on 4th April 1839 5
Mr. John Tiller, (b. 1829), aged 10, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Orient" arriving in New South Wales, Australia on 4th April 1839 5
Mr. John Tiller, (b. 1804), aged 35, Cornish dairyman travelling aboard the ship "Orient" arriving in New South Wales, Australia on 4th April 1839 6
Mrs. Rebecca Tiller, (b. 1804), aged 35, Cornish servant travelling aboard the ship "Orient" arriving in New South Wales, Australia on 4th April 1839 6
Mr. John Tiller, (b. 1828), aged 10, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Orient" arriving in New South Wales, Australia on 4th April 1839 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Tiller (post 1700) +

Joseph "Joe" Tiller (1942-2017), American head football coach at Purdue University (1997-2008)
Christopher James Tiller (b. 1978), American Major League Baseball umpire from Shreveport, Louisiana
Sharon Tiller, American News & Documentary Emmy Award nominated film maker
John Thomas Ibbotson Tiller (1854-1925), English-born, American musical theatre director, originator of the 'Tiller Girls'
Tony Tiller (b. 1981), American football cornerback
George Tiller (1941-2009), American physician
Edward Hugo Tiller (b. 1911), American chemical company executive and politician, Mayor of Garwood, N.J
Luke Tiller, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate in primary for Michigan State House of Representatives from Wayne County 1st District, 1950 7
F. E. Tiller, American politician, Mayor of Richmond, California, 1937 7
Dr. Kathleen “Kate” Tiller O.B.E., D.L., British Reader Emerita in English Local History at University of Oxford, was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire on 29th December 2018 for services to Local History 8
... (Another 6 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Tiller family +

SS Newfoundland

Mr. Cecil Tiller (b. 1893), Newfoundlander from Newtown, who on the 30th March 1914 he was part of the Seal Crew of the "SS Newfoundland" leaving the ship to intercept the Stephano which took him to the hunting grounds, he disembarked to begin sealing, but was caught in a thickening storm, attempting to return to the Newfoundland he and the 132 crew made camp for two days the sealers were stranded on the ice in a blizzard attempting to return to the ship, he survived

Citations +

Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, May 30). Ships' Passenger Lists of Arrivals in New South Wales on (1828 - 1842, 1848 - 1849) [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_nsw_1838_on.pdf
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_bounty_nsw.pdf
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 1) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
"Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62507, 28 December 2018 | London Gazette, The Gazette, Dec. 2018, www.thegazette.co.uk/honours-lists