Show ContentsTilden History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Tilden family

The surname Tilden was first found in Kent where they have held a family seat from very ancient times. The name distributed to three main branches. The senior line held a family seat at Milsted in Kent. The second in Sussex which produced most of the American Tildens, and the junior branch settled at Ifield. They possessed lands in Brenchly, Otterden, Kennington, Biddenden, Torry Hill, Wye and Tilmanstone from about the year 1327, but most likely much sooner.

Early History of the Tilden family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Tilden research. Another 146 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1260, 1560, 1613, 1628, 1754 and 1832 are included under the topic Early Tilden History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tilden Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Tilden, Tildon, Tylden, Tilderden, Tileden, Tillden and many more.

Early Notables of the Tilden family

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


United States Tilden migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Tilden Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Thomas Tilden, who arrived in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1623 aboard the ship "Anne" [1]
  • Mrs. Anne Tilden, who arrived in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1623 aboard the ship "Anne" [2]
  • Child Tilden, who arrived in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1623 aboard the ship "Anne" with mother Ann Tilden [2]
  • Mrs. Lydia Tilden, who arrived New England in 1634 aboard the ship "Hercules", bound for Scituate [3]
  • Joseph Tilden, who arrived New England in 1634 aboard the ship "Hercules", bound for Scituate [3]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Tilden Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Robert and William Tilden, who settled in Belfast Me. in 1822
  • T. B. Tilden, who settled in New York State in 1822
  • Jacob Tilden, aged 17, who arrived in Key West, Fla in 1837 [1]

Contemporary Notables of the name Tilden (post 1700) +

  • Leif Tilden (b. 1964), American award winning actor and director, best known for his role as Robbie Sinclair in the sitcom Dinosaurs
  • Brad Tilden, American president and chief executive officer of Alaska Airlines and Alaska Air Group
  • George Thomas Tilden (1845-1919), American architect active in Boston, co-founder of Rotch & Tilden active from 1880 through 1895
  • Guy Tilden (1858-1929), American architect during the late 19th and early 20th century, eight of his structures are listed on the National Register of Historic Places
  • Douglas Tilden (1860-1935), American world-famous sculptor
  • William Tatem "Big Bill" Tilden II (1893-1953), American tennis player, considered one of the greatest tennis players of all time, World No. 1 player for seven years, he won 15 Majors: ten Grand Slams
  • Samuel Jones Tilden (1814-1886), American politician who ran for president in 1876, winning the popular election but losing the presidency, eponym of Fort Tilden
  • William Tatem Tilden, American Financial executive, president, Rock Industries Ltd., New Jersey
  • Fred C. Tilden, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Connecticut State House of Representatives from Windham, 1910 [4]
  • Daniel Rose Tilden (1804-1890), American politician, Representative from Ohio 19th District, 1843-47; State Court Judge in Ohio, 1855 [4]
  • ... (Another 20 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


  1. 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)
  2. Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's. Retrieved January 6th 2023 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  3. Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's Retrieved January 6th 2023, retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  4. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 2) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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