The Tilley surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 15,758 people carried this name — #2,318 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 18,700 people counted. That is up 1% from 15,560 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Tilley surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘from Tilly’ — the first of the origins he gives.

An early record he cites: John Tylye, Somerset, 1327–28 (1 Edward III) — Kirby's Quest (Somerset).

His entry covers Tilley, Tillie and Tilly.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 751 · public domain.

In Belgium’s population register

At least 136 people named Tilley live in Belgium.

Statbel only publishes a name in a municipality when five or more people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in East Flanders.

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

Where they live today

East Flanders 91
Flemish Brabant 39
Antwerp 6

Statbel (Statistics Belgium), family names of the population by municipality, 1 January 2026 — CC BY 4.0.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Tilley was found among the farmers of Somerset: 20 in every 10,000.

Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Somerset 20

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

44 families named Tilley, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 218 people lived in those households, 5 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 5 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

North Carolina 11
Massachusetts 9
Connecticut 6
New York 4
Maryland 4
South Carolina 4
Pennsylvania 3
Rhode Island 2
Maine 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 265 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Tilley in American newspapers,
1829–1920.

Newspaper page from Butler Citizen carrying the name Tilley
Butler Citizen 1899-08-03
Newspaper page from The Democratic Advocate carrying the name Tilley
The Democratic Advocate 1920-11-26
Newspaper page from The Delaware Register, Or, Farmers', Manufacturers' & Mechanics' Advocate carrying the name Tilley
The Delaware Register, Or, Farmers', Manufacturers' & Mechanics' Advocate 1829-01-10

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 36,597 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Tilley in Australian newspapers,
1810s–2000s.

27,328 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Tilley. The most, 4,229, date from the 1910s. Victoria has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Tasmania, at 1.7 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Victoria 9,252
South Australia 5,044
Queensland 4,458
New South Wales 4,447
Tasmania 2,842
Western Australia 1,069
ACT (Canberra) 128
Northern Territory 25

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

Who carried it

People named Tilley,
with a public archive behind them.

  • John Tilley
    John Tilley 1813–1898
  • Cecilia Tilley
    Cecilia Tilley 1816–1849 · novelist
  • Ann Tilley d. 1621
  • Kenneth Tilley d. 1971
  • Robert H. Tilley d. 1890
  • Joan Hurst d. 1620

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Tilley,
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 States1,124 records

1,124 records of the Tilley name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 517
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 192
  • Other U.S. records 415
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Floyd M. Tilley

    Born 1924 in Missouri. Enlisted 1943 at Jefferson Barracks; driver from St Louis City. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 2000, buried at Mount Zion Cemetery, Poplar Bluff, Missouri.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Hubert Samuel Tilley

    Born 1948; from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1969 in Hua Nghia, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record John Tilley

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Majestic from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 24; grocer. From Liverpool, England; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 1,124 records for Tilley in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · 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, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia1,099 records

1,099 records of the Tilley name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 369
  • Tasmanian Names Index 340
  • Other Australian records 390
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Thomas Tilley

    Died 1852 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 51. Will registered in Tasmania in 1852.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Laura Emelia Tilley

    Born 1859 in Glamorgan, Tasmania. Married 1887 in Fingal, Tasmania, aged 28.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record William Tilley

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Shipley, arriving 1820; ticket of leave 1833. Native of London.

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

Showing 3 of 1,099 records for Tilley 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) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · City of Ballarat, Avenue of Honour Plaques (CC BY 3.0 AU). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain).

Belgium110 records

110 records of the Tilley name in Belgium
  • Belgian civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 90
  • Belgian population registers 20
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Petrus Tilley

    Married in 1841 in Aalst; farmer, born 1815 in Moorsel. Died 1887 in Meldert, aged 72.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Aalst (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Henricus Tilley

    Married in 1919 in Baardegem; "landbouwwerkman", born 1880 in Meldert. Died 1964 in Meldert, aged 84.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Aalst (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Camiel Tilley

    Married in 1895 in Moorsel; "brouwersgast", born 1870 in Meldert. Died 1954 in Aalst, aged 84.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Aalst (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 110 records for Tilley in Belgium.

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).

Canada106 records

106 records of the Tilley name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 75
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 9
  • Other Canadian records 22
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Irvine Alfred Tilley

    Buried in 1987 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 70.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Annie Guthrie Tilley

    Died 1947 in Yarmouth, 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 Lloyd Tilley

    Died in service in 1945.

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

Showing 3 of 106 records for Tilley in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. 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).

United Kingdom41 records

41 records of the Tilley name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 32
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 8
  • Scottish rolls of honour, First World War 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Charles Tilley

    Buried in 1852 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 61.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record Frederick Tilley

    Died 1916. Named in the roll of honour (1926).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record E. A. Tilley

    Machine Gun Corps. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

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

Showing 3 of 41 records for Tilley in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Netherlands7 records

7 records of the Tilley name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 4
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 3
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Petrus Tilley

    Died 1918 in Nunspeet, aged 35; carpenter.

    Open Archives, Streekarchivariaat Noordwest-Veluwe (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record George Herbert Tilley

    Married in 1947 in Eindhoven.

    Open Archives, Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Marga Tilley

    In the population register of Maastricht; born 1794 in Maastricht.

    Open Archives, Regionaal Historisch Centrum Limburg (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 7 records for Tilley in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

New Zealand6 records

6 records of the Tilley name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 5
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Donald Leslie Tilley

    Died 1995, aged 74; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record R. E. Tilley

    New Zealand Field Artillery. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Reginald Attwood Tilley

    Died 1984, aged 84; buried at Waimairi Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 6 records for Tilley in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

France1 record

1 record of the Tilley 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 Oswald Guy Louis Tilley

    Born 1923 in Marseille; died 1976 in Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

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).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Tilley.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Tilley 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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