Surname Pilling - Meaning and Origin
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Pilling: What does the surname Pilling mean?
The last name Pilling is an English surname of Anglo-Saxon descent and is derived from the Old English word 'pylle', which means 'post, stake or pillar'. It is believed to have originated in Lancashire and the surrounding areas but is now spread throughout the British Isles.
The origin of the name Pilling could have been a location name. It is possible that several generations ago, someone called Pilling may have lived near a post, stake or pillar, and they would have been called by their location name. It could also have referred to someone who worked with stakes or pillars, such as a fence maker, carpenter, or blacksmith.
This English surname is very old and is still in use today, albeit with slight variations. The most common variation is Pillinger, which originated from Scotland and refers to someone from either Inverness-shire, Argyllshire or Sutherland.
The Pilling name has been recorded in various documents and registers throughout history including the poll tax records of 1379 and the taxation records from the 16th century. It is also seen in records from the Church of England which document the naming of John Pilling in Lancashire in 1679.
Today, the Pilling surname is still a popular last name and is associated with a range of professions. It is possible to trace family lines since the earliest recordings of the surname, and many descendants are proud of their origins.
Order DNA origin analysisPilling: Where does the name Pilling come from?
The last name Pilling is most commonly found in the United Kingdom and in Germany, as evidenced by a search of genealogy databases. According to Ancestry.com, it is the 256th most popular surname in England and Wales, with more than 71,000 people bearing the name. In Germany, it is the 527th most common surname, and more than 21,000 people with the surname live there.
Though it is found in several countries and mainly across Europe, Pilling is generally thought to be a localised name from Lancashire, a county in the northwest of England. This region has historically had strong ties to Germanic influence, which may explain why the name crops up so frequently in both countries. Furthermore, Ancestry.com’s records suggest that many people with the Pilling surname still live in the Lancashire area, although exact numbers are difficult to gauge.
In short, the last name Pilling is most commonly found in the United Kingdom and Germany, with particular ties to the northwest English county of Lancashire. The frequency of the name in both countries suggests a strong Germanic influence and a long history of migration and immigration between the two regions.
Variations of the surname Pilling
The surname Pilling is derived from Old English and a variant spelling of the name is pilgriming. The meaning of the name is from the Old English pre 7th Century word 'Pil' meaning a ‘Pillar’, and the suffix ‘-ing’ which was a relatively common patronymic one in this period, used to indicate a son of the root element.
Variants of the surname Pilling include Pilking, Pelking, Pillar, and Pillings, and similar surnames include Pilkington, Pillington, Pilkingham, Pillham, Pillen, Pilking, Pillin, Pillinger, Pelken, Pilgrim, and Pillinger.
Since the 1600s, various versions of the surname Pilling have been recorded in documents such as parish registers, birth and death certificates, and census records. In England, the Pilling variant has been found in the counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire since the 16th century, with the Pilkington, Pillington, Pilkingham, and Pillham variants appearing in record from the 1800s. Meanwhile, Pelken has been found in records dating back to 1609.
In the US, the Pilkington and Pilking variants have also been found. Pilkington immigrants arrived in New York in the 1840s, while Pilking was recorded in the 1890 US Federal Census in Philadelphia. Furthermore, in Scotland, the Pilgrim and Pillinger variants have been seen in various records since the 17th century.
Famous people with the name Pilling
- David Pilling: is the the Africa editor at the Financial Times.
- John Pilling: is the current Chief Constable of Lancashire Constabulary in the United Kingdom
- Amanda Pilling: is a professional squash player from England
- Jeanette Pilling– is a multi-time Jamaica karate champion
- Nelson Pilling: is a music producer, arranger, composer, and musical director
- Walter Pilling: was an English footballer who played for Chelsea and Bradford Park Avenue
- Aaron Pilling: is an indie-pop singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from British Columbia, Canada
- Angelina Pilling: is an English actress, best known for her role as Matron Crane in the British medical drama Casualty
- Samuel Pilling: was a renowned English physician, naturalist and antiquarian
- Robert Pilling: is a former ITV News presenter, having worked as a reporter at the broadcaster for over two decades