Explore the Family Name Pillar
The meaning of Pillar
1. English (Devon): topographic name for a dweller by a stream, from an agent derivative of Middle English pil(e), pel(e), pul(e) ‘stream, creek’, see Pill. 2. English (Devon): topographic name for a dweller by a stake or post (for fastening a boat, for example), from an agent derivative of Middle English pil(e), pila, pille ‘stake, pile’. 3. English (Devon): nickname from Middle English pilour, piller, pelour, peler (Old French pilleur) ‘thief’. According to the East Anglian glossary Promptorium Parvulorum (about 1440) it was used of rent collectors and taxmen: ‘Pylowre, or he that pelyth [robs] other men, as cachpolls or odyre lyk, pilator, depredator’. 4. Cornish and English: variant of Peller.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Pillar in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname "Pillar" has seen a significant increase from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, the surname was ranked 20,138th and had a count of 1,231 people. By 2010, the rank had risen to 16,481 with an 18.16% change in rank, and the number of people with this surname increased by 41.59% to reach 1,743. The proportion per 100,000 people also increased by 28.26%, from 0.46 in 2000 to 0.59 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #20,138 | #16,481 | 18.16% |
| Count | 1,231 | 1,743 | 41.59% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.46 | 0.59 | 28.26% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Pillar
In terms of ethnicity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows a shift in the ethnic identity of those with the surname "Pillar" between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the majority of individuals identified as white at 84.65%. However, by 2010, this percentage had fallen to 61.68%. There were also small percentages of Hispanic (3.57% in 2000 and 3.38% in 2010) and Black (9.5% in 2000 and 8.84% in 2010) ethnic identities. Interestingly, the data for Asian/Pacific Islander and Two or more races changed during this period. In 2000, there were no individuals who identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, but by 2010, it comprised 23.81% of the individuals with the Pillar surname. Conversely, those who identified as belonging to two or more races dropped from 1.22% in 2000 to 0% in 2010. The data for American Indian and Alaskan Native remained suppressed for both years, indicating a negligible or non-existent representation within this surname group.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 84.65% | 61.68% | -27.14% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 23.81% | 0% |
| Black | 9.5% | 8.84% | -6.95% |
| Hispanic | 3.57% | 3.38% | -5.32% |
| Two or More Races | 1.22% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |