Explore the Family Name Billy
The meaning of Billy
1. French and Walloon: habitational name from Billy, the name of several places mainly in the northern part of France. The placename is from Gallo-Roman Billiacum, from the Gallic personal name Billios (from Latin Billius) + the locative suffix -acum. 2. English: habitational name from any of several places called Billy, such as Billy Row in Brancepeth (Durham), or Billy Farm in Somerset. 3. English: from the Middle English female personal name Billy, a pet form of Mabel or Sibyl. 4. Slovak and Czech (Billý): probably a variant of Bilý (see Bily). 5. Native American (Navajo): variant of Billie 1, which can be of Navajo origin, meaning literally ‘his horse’, or an adoption of the English personal name Billy (see 6 below). Compare Billey 5 and Billie 1. 6. Native American (e.g. Choctaw): adoption of the English personal name Billy (pet form of William) as a surname. Compare Billey 6 and Billie 2. History: Jean-François de Billy from Paris, France, married Catherine-Marguerite (de) Lamarche in Sommereux in Oise, France, c.1671, died in Champlain, QC, in 1716. His descendants also bear the surname Courville.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Billy in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname "Billy" has seen a slight increase in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the surname was ranked 9,147th in popularity, but rose to 9,027th by 2010—a change of approximately 1.31%. The number of individuals with the last name "Billy" also increased, from 3,279 people in 2000 to 3,621 in 2010. This suggests that more people identified with or adopted the surname during this decade, a growth of about 10.43%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #9,147 | #9,027 | 1.31% |
| Count | 3,279 | 3,621 | 10.43% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.22 | 1.23 | 0.82% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Billy
Regarding ethnic identity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows shifts among those with the surname "Billy". There was a significant increase in the percentage of individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, growing from 0.64% in 2000 to 2.57% in 2010, an impressive surge of over 301%. The proportion of people identifying as Hispanic and two or more races also increased. However, there was a slight decrease in the percentages of White, Black, and American Indian and Alaskan Native groups. Notably, the largest ethnic group remains the American Indian and Alaskan Native category, despite a 1.54% decline.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 41.57% | 40.93% | -1.54% |
| White | 38.61% | 36.48% | -5.52% |
| Black | 14.09% | 13.95% | -0.99% |
| Hispanic | 2.56% | 3.45% | 34.77% |
| Two or More Races | 2.53% | 2.62% | 3.56% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.64% | 2.57% | 301.56% |