Phillip
A surname from the personal name Philip, ultimately meaning “horse-loving.”
The #5,108 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 45,026 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Phillip is a surname formed from the given name Philip, with an extra -p spelling that became common in English. The personal name goes back to Greek Philippos, from philein “to love” and hippos “horse,” so the literal sense is “horse-lover.” In medieval and early modern English records, Philip was often written with double p, and surnames could arise from that familiar spelling or from forms meaning “son of Philip.”
History
The surname is part of the large family of English surnames built from popular baptismal names. Historical spellings often vary between Philip, Phillip, and related forms such as Phillips, Phipps, and Philpott. It is especially well established in Britain and the English-speaking world, though it is less common than Phillips.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The name Philip was prized in the classical world because horses were symbols of status and nobility, which helped the name stay popular through the Middle Ages.
From the historical record
“PHILIP \ (A,-Lat.-Gr.) Horse-Lover [Lat. PH I LI PP I Philippus, Gr. *£X«r5ros— *a-os, Ipv- PHILLIP I ing ; iiTTTos, a horse] PHILLIPP^ } Philip's (Son) = Philip (q.v.) + the Fr. dim.”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)