Explore the Family Name Hiller

The meaning of Hiller

1. German: metronymic from Hille, a pet form of the female personal name Hildegund (see Hilke). 2. German: from a masculine personal beginning with the ancient Germanic element hild ‘strife, battle’. 3. German: variant of Hüller (see Huller). 4. German: habitational name for someone from Hille (Westphalia). 5. English: topographic name from Middle English hiller, heller, huller ‘dweller on the hill’ (compare Hilling). This type of formation, where the suffix -er is added to a topographic term, is mainly found in southern England, especially in Hampshire, Sussex, and Surrey. 6. English: variant of Hillier.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Hiller in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Hiller has seen an increase in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Hiller was ranked as the 3601st most popular surname, but by 2010 it had risen to be the 3387th most popular, signifying a 5.94% increase in ranking. The count of individuals with the Hiller surname also increased from 9,063 in 2000 to 10,546 in 2010, marking a 16.36% rise. This growth is further reflected in the proportion per 100,000 people that increased by 6.55% over the same period, rising from 3.36 to 3.58.

20002010Change
Rank#3,601#3,3875.94%
Count9,06310,54616.36%
Proportion per 100k3.363.586.55%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Hiller

In terms of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows some changes among those bearing the Hiller surname between 2000 and 2010. The most significant increase was within the Hispanic community, which saw a 65% surge. Similarly, there was an increase in the number of Hillers identifying as Black (17.53%) or belonging to two or more races (36.84%). Conversely, the percentage of white Hillers decreased by nearly 3%. There were minor increases in the Asian/Pacific Islander category (6.98%), while the American Indian and Alaskan Native group experienced a slight decrease of 5.71%.

20002010Change
White89.69%87.02%-2.98%
Black6.79%7.98%17.53%
Hispanic1.6%2.64%65%
Two or More Races1.14%1.56%36.84%
Asian/Pacific Islander0.43%0.46%6.98%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.35%0.33%-5.71%

Hiller ancestry composition

23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Hiller is French & German, which comprises 32.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (31.7%) and Eastern European (9.7%). Additional ancestries include Ashkenazi Jewish, Scandinavian, Italian, Korean, and Finnish.

Ready to learn more about your ancestry? Get the most comprehensive ancestry breakdown on the market by taking our DNA test. Shop 23andMe

ANCESTRY BREAKDOWNCOMPOSITION
French & German32.7%
British & Irish31.7%
Eastern European9.7%
Other25.9%
Hiller

Possible origins of the surname Hiller

Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.

Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Hiller have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.

RECENT ANCESTRY LocationPercentage
Greater Manchester, United Kingdom70.30%
Glasgow City, United Kingdom70.30%
Greater London, United Kingdom70.30%
Lancashire, United Kingdom69.90%
Merseyside, United Kingdom69.40%

What Hiller haplogroups can tell you

Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.

The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Hiller is R-U152, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-U152 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-P311 and R-Z282, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Baron, Schaeffer, Goodman, Marx, Kaufman, Mayer, Weber, Miller, Binder, Bush.

The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Hiller surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.

hillerPaternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343

Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette

Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.

Maternal Haplo Image

What do people with the surname Hiller have in common?

Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.

Preferences

Hiller

Chocolate Ice Cream

Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.

"Hiller" Surname 42.0%

23andMe Users 41.3%

Traits

Hiller

Misophonia

When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.

"Hiller" Surname 26.0%

23andMe Users 27.9%

Habits

Hiller

Sugary Drink

Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.

"Hiller" Surname 16.2%

23andMe Users 21.1%

Wellness

Hiller

Migraine

A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

"Hiller" Surname 16.7%

23andMe Users 16.4%

Are health conditions linked to the last name Hiller?

The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.

Disease variant frequency by ancestry

Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Hiller are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Y402H variant

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of irreversible vision loss among older adults. The disease results in damage to the central part of the retina (the macula), impairing vision needed for reading, driving, or even recognizing faces. The 23andMe Health + Ancestry DNA test includes the two most common variants associated with an increased risk of developing the condition: the Y402H variant in the CFH gene and the A69S variant in the ARMS2 gene. Learn more about Age-Related Macular Degeneration

French & German 60.8%

23andMe Users 57.2%