The Lillie surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 4,289 people carried this name — #7,739 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 69,000 people counted. That is up 2% from 4,224 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Lillie surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a baptismal name, from a given name: ‘the son of Lily’ — the first of the origins he gives.

An early record he cites: Geoffrey Lilion, Bedfordshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

His entry covers Lilly, Lilley, Lillie, Lillee and Lilie.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 483 · public domain.

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 23 people named Lillie.

1 of them were born outside France. Those born in France came from 2 départements, most often Moselle.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born

Born outside France 1
Moselle 20
Paris 2

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

In the Nordic population registers

30 people named Lillie is counted in Finland.

Finland counts its citizens, at home or abroad.

Counted, by country

Finland (2026) 30

Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), Finland, surname statistics, August 2026 — CC BY 4.0.

In print

Lillie in American newspapers,
1898–1909.

Newspaper page from The Baraboo News carrying the name Lillie
The Baraboo News 1909-09-30
Newspaper page from The Yakima Herald carrying the name Lillie
The Yakima Herald 1898-09-15
Newspaper page from The Baraboo News carrying the name Lillie
The Baraboo News 1908-10-15

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 314,191 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Lillie in Australian newspapers,
1820s–1990s.

21,655 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Lillie. The most, 3,978, date from the 1910s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Victoria, at 1.9 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Victoria 9,312
New South Wales 5,185
Queensland 2,105
South Australia 1,895
Tasmania 1,737
Western Australia 1,336
ACT (Canberra) 38
Northern Territory 13

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Lillie.

Who carried it

People named Lillie,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Johan Lillie d. 1676 · military personnel
  • Gustaf Adam Lillie d. 1709 · military personnel
  • Chrisman Lillie d. 1650 · civil servant
  • Gustav Anderssønn Lillie d. 1700 · painter
  • Gustav Anderssønn Lillie d. 1700 · painter
  • Catharina Eleonora Lillie d. 1704

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Lillie,
in the records of 8 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States488 records

488 records of the Lillie name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 150
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 101
  • Other U.S. records 237
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Samuel L. Lillie

    Born 1921 in Virginia. Enlisted 1943 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; longshoreman. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1992, buried at BG William C Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery, New Jersey.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Robert S. Lillie

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Teutonic from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 28; artist. From Liverpool, England; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Richard Arthur Lillie

    Born 1948; from Richey, Montana. U.S. Marine Corps, broadcast journalist; died in an accident 1971 in Thua Thien, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 488 records for Lillie in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Australia263 records

263 records of the Lillie name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 141
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 77
  • Other Australian records 45
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Isabella Lillie

    Arrived in Victoria in 1857 aboard the White Star, aged 50; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Geoffrey James Lillie

    Retired surgeon of Devon, England; died 1982.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Lancelot Cyril Lillie

    Of Wombat, New South Wales; died 1926.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)

Showing 3 of 263 records for Lillie in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Germany20 records

20 records of the Lillie name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Eduard Lillie

    From Hagen (nicht Bergen a. D.). Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 18 November 1915 (Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 92).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Wilhelm Lillie

    From Warmbüttel, Celle. Reported missing in the Prussian casualty list of 2 November 1917.

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Showing 2 of 20 records for Lillie in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).

Canada19 records

19 records of the Lillie name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 6
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 5
  • Other Canadian records 8
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record John Lillie

    Died 1990, aged 92; buried at Brookside Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Alice Marie Lillie

    Died 1937 in Sydney, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record David Charles Lillie

    Died in service in 1918.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 19 records for Lillie in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

Netherlands12 records

12 records of the Lillie name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 6
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 4
  • Dutch population registers 2
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Andrew Lillie

    Married in 1742 in Rotterdam; soldier.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Johanna Lillie

    Died 1818 in 's-Gravenhage, aged 80.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Luise Dorothea Wilhelmine Lillie

    Died 1934 in Bussum, aged 79.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 12 records for Lillie in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

France11 records

11 records of the Lillie name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Marie Lillie

    Born 1909 in Algrange; died 1984 in Freyming-Merlebach (Moselle).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Albert Aloys Lillie

    Born 1928 in Haspelschiedt; died 1991 in Bitche (Moselle).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Anne Ernestine Lillie

    Born 1911 in Breidenbach (Moselle); died 1976 in Rambervillers (Vosges).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 3 of 11 records for Lillie in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

United Kingdom10 records

10 records of the Lillie name in the United Kingdom
  • Stirling Council burial records 4
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 3
  • Scottish rolls of honour, First World War 3
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record William Lillie

    Born 1899 at Watten. Served in the First World War. Named in the University of Aberdeen roll of service in the Great War, 1914-1919.

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Helen Bowie Lillie

    Died 1891, aged 64; buried at Kilmadock Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record D. Lillie

    Northumberland Fusiliers. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 10 records for Lillie in the United Kingdom.

Counts: Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

New Zealand2 records

2 records of the Lillie name in New Zealand Christchurch City cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record John Lillie

    Died 1866, aged 59; buried at Addington Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Jane Lillie

    Died 1886, aged 52; buried at Addington Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Lillie.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Lillie is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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