Explore the Family Name Silliman
The meaning of Silliman
Americanized form of a reportedly Italian surname recorded in the US as Sillimandi, a form not found in Italy and in Italian sources. History: Benjamin Silliman, one of the most influential scientists of his time in America, was born in Trumbull, CT, in 1779 and came from a prominent CT family of Yale graduates whose paternal ancestors were reportedly Italians named Sillimandi. They lived in Switzerland and emigrated to North America via the Netherlands with the great Puritan migration, eventually settling in Fairfield, CT, with a Daniel Sillivant showing in Fairfield County records in the mid 1600s. By 1690 the surname had been changed to Silliman.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Silliman in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Silliman has seen a slight increase from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it was ranked as the 17505th most popular surname, but by 2010, its rank had marginally improved to 17392nd. The count of individuals with this surname also saw an increase of 9.37 percent over the decade, going from 1484 in 2000 to 1623 in 2010. Interestingly, despite these changes, the proportion per 100k remained constant at 0.55 across both years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #17,505 | #17,392 | 0.65% |
| Count | 1,484 | 1,623 | 9.37% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.55 | 0.55 | 0% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Silliman
When exploring the ethnic identity associated with the surname Silliman, based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, there are some noticeable shifts between 2000 and 2010. The number of individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander increased by 44.44 percent, while those identifying as two or more races saw an increase of 23.48 percent. There was a small increase in the Hispanic representation (12.40 percent) and Black representation (8.83 percent). The American Indian and Alaskan Native category saw a modest increase of 1.49 percent. However, those identifying their ethnicity as White decreased slightly by 1.14 percent over this ten-year period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 92.99% | 91.93% | -1.14% |
| Black | 3.17% | 3.45% | 8.83% |
| Two or More Races | 1.15% | 1.42% | 23.48% |
| Hispanic | 1.21% | 1.36% | 12.4% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.81% | 1.17% | 44.44% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.67% | 0.68% | 1.49% |