Tillery
An English surname whose origin is uncertain, but it may be a variant of Tiller or a place-based name shaped by medieval spelling.
The #4,355 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 37,855 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The historical evidence here does not give a direct explanation for the surname, so its origin has to be treated cautiously. In English surname work, Tillery is often approached as a variant spelling of Tiller, which can be occupational in sense or sometimes tied to place-names and local forms. The ending -ery may reflect later spelling variation rather than a distinct original meaning.
History
The name is recorded in modern English-speaking populations, especially in the United States, but the supplied historical excerpts do not include an actual etymological entry for the surname. Because of that, its earlier history cannot be reconstructed confidently from these sources alone. The form may have developed through regional spelling variation, which is common in English surnames.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The supplied historical sources mention the string “Tillery” only incidentally, not as a surname entry, so the name’s exact origin remains open to interpretation.
From the historical record
“Pellant, (A)Kimbo, (Am)Brose, (A)Nodyne, (A)Lonzo, (A)Mong, ( Al)Lowance, (A)Pollo,( A)Bandon,( A)Stonisher, (Ar)Tillery, (A)Postle, (Ap)Athy, (At)Torney, (As)Sorter, (Ac)Quaintance, (Al)Cohol, (A)Bolish, (A)Bundantly, (As)- Sembly, (Ap)Pellate, (Ad)Mittance, (A)Stute, (Ab)Struse, (A)Dult, (As)Suraption, (A)Dorer…”
— A Grammar of American Surnames