Lillie
A surname that can point to a place-name, the flower lily, or an old personal name like Lilian.
The #7,739 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 71,985 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname Lillie has several possible origins. In older surname books it is often treated as a variant of Lilly, which may come from a place-name such as Lilley in Hertfordshire or from the flower-name lily, used either as a nickname or a sign-name. It may also reflect a personal name like Lilian/Lillian, which later became a source of surnames in some families.
History
Historical references show Lillie being used alongside Lilly, Lily, and Lilley, especially in English records. Some writers also note Scottish bearers, suggesting that the spelling was not confined to one region. Because the name can arise from more than one source, different families with the surname Lillie may not share a single origin.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
19th-century surname writers often grouped Lillie with other flower-based names such as Lily, Lillywhite, and Lillicrap.
From the historical record
“same as Lisle. LILLY. LILLE Y. LILLIE. 1. Perhaps the same as Lille or Lisle. 2. From the heraldric bearing, the fleur-de- lys. See Lys. 3. Lilley, a parish in Hert- fordshire.”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom