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Hiller History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Hiller History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany

The ancestors of the bearers of the Hiller family name are thought have lived in ancient Anglo-Saxon England. They were first found in Surrey. As a local name, it was derived from the local 'at the hill-garth' or 'hill-yard.' 1

"Hildyard, formerly Hildheard, [was] an ancient personal name. The family are said to have sprung from Robert Hildheard, of Normanby, Yorkshire, in the year 1109." 2

Alternatively, the name could have been derived from the Old German Hildigard, Hildiardis (f) ‘war stronghold’ 3

And finally, the name could also have been an occupational name for a hellier who was a roofer, tiler, or thatcher. 4

Early Origins of the Hiller family

The surname Hiller was first found in Surrey where the name was first listed as a forename, Hildiard de Trule in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1206. Hyldeiard (with no forename) was registered in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1228 and Robert Hildyard, Hiliard was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls for 1275 in Yorkshire. 3

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included: Robert de Hildgard, Yorkshire; Robert de Hildyard, Yorkshire; Robert Hiliard, Yorkshire; Robert Hildeyerd, Yorkshire. "These four entries represent, no doubt, the same individual." 1

Early History of the Hiller family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hiller research. Another 157 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1109, 1485, 1537, 1602, 1612, 1619, 1640, 1660, 1670, 1685, 1689, 1690, 1716, 1729, 1743, 1746, 1781 and 1814 are included under the topic Early Hiller History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hiller Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Hiller include Hilliard, Hildyard, Hillard, Hildheard and others.

Early Notables of the Hiller family

Notables of the family at this time include Sir Christopher Hildyard (d. 1602), whose tomb is in Church of St. German in Winestead, as well as a Hildyard, Sheriff of Nottingham. Nicholas Hilliard (1537-1619), was an English miniature painter, court painter to Elizabeth and to James I. His son, Lawrence Hilliard (d. 1640), English miniature painter continued his father's work. 5 Thomas Hildeyard (1690-1746), was a Jesuit, of a respectable Lincolnshire...
Another 69 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hiller Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hiller Ranking

In the United States, the name Hiller is the 4,529^th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 6

Hiller migration to the United States +

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Hiller or a variant listed above:

Hiller Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Martha Hiller, who landed in Virginia in 1657 7

Hiller Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Joseph Hiller, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1749 7
Jacob Hiller, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1765 7

Hiller Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Thomas Hiller, who landed in Mobile County, Ala in 1840 7
Samuel Hiller, aged 26, who arrived in Mobile County, Ala in 1843 7
Albert Hiller, aged 28, who landed in Mobile County, Ala in 1843 7
Christian F Hiller, who landed in Maryland in 1844 7
Albert Hiller, who settled in Alabama in 1845
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Hiller Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

A. Prescott Hiller, aged 38, who immigrated to the United States from London, in 1903
Amelia Hiller, aged 14, who landed in America from London, in 1904
Alfred Hiller, aged 17, who immigrated to America from Degerloch, Germany, in 1905
Anna Hiller, aged 25, who immigrated to the United States from Ennsdavk, Germany, in 1913
Alfred Hiller, aged 20, who landed in America from Berlin, Germany, in 1913
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Hiller (post 1700) +

Arthur Hiller OC (1923-2016), Canadian-born, American television and film director, President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (1993-1997) recipient of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 2002
Colette Hiller, American actress who starred on film, theatre and television
Stanley Hiller Jr. (1924-2006), American pioneering developer of the helicopter
Lejaren Arthur Hiller (1924-1994), American composer
Charles Joseph Hiller (1934-2004), American professional baseball player in Major League Baseball
Tim Hiller (b. 1986), American football quarterback
William P. Hiller, American politician, U.S. Collector of Customs, 1875-81 8
John F. Hiller, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Schoharie County, 1835 8
John Hiller, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Wisconsin, 2008 8
Hiram M. Hiller (d. 1895), American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Missouri, 1868 8
... (Another 14 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Burke, John and Burke, Sir Bernard, C.B. LL.D Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage . London: Harrison, 59, Pall Mall, 1865, Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
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/
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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 13) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html