Surname Hillegass - Meaning and Origin

Hillegass: What does the surname Hillegass mean?

The surname Hillegass is German in origin and comes from the Middle High German terms "hil" meaning "favor" and "gasse", meaning "path or way". It is thought to refer to a person who held the favor of their lord or master and thereby gained access to special paths or ways that were otherwise inaccessible to commoners.

The name also shares similarities with the surname Hilligoss, with its primary meaning being “kind person”. This name may have been given to someone who showed qualities of being kind or generous to others, especially their peers and those they held a higher power over. The two names have likely become synonymous in the migration of German families throughout the generations.

The Hillegass spelling is most commonly found in Pennsylvania USA, likely due to the significant German-speaking population in the state during the 18th-19th centuries. It is also found in present-day Germany, with its largest concentration of people living in Berlin and surrounding areas.

Generally speaking, the Hillegass name is associated with hard work, kindness, generosity, and self-determination. From a genealogical point of view, the name often appears to be German in origin but may also have French or Swiss origins as well, due its inclusion in 19th-century registers from France and Switzerland.

Hillegass: Where does the name Hillegass come from?

The last name Hillegass is primarily found in the United States today, with the state of Pennsylvania having the largest population of Hillegass families. According to the US Census of 2000, there are approximately 2600 individuals with the last name Hillegass residing in the United States. The Hillegass surname is believed to be from a Germanic name, derived from the personal name “Helwig”. The name is thought to have first become popular in areas settled by German immigrants, such as Pennsylvania. Additionally, the Hillegass surname is also occasionally found in other countries such as Germany, France and Switzerland, mainly as a result of immigration.

The Hillegass family in America has a long history. The Hillegass family began Immigrating to the United States with the first known settler being Johann Heinrich Hillegas, who settled in the state of Pennsylvania circa 1750. The Hillegass name was prominent in the Philadelphia area of Pennsylvania, but was eventually carried across other states and territories of the United States. The Hillegass family was believed to have had a successful presence in business, culture, and politics in the United States throughout history, up until today.

Hillegass is a fairly common last name in the United States, particularly in the state of Pennsylvania. It is also likely that Hillegass families living in the US have ancestors living in other countries as well, due to immigration.

Variations of the surname Hillegass

The surname Hillegass has been found throughout Germany in various spellings throughout its history. The various variants of the name include Hillecass, Hillegas, Hillegaas, Hillegaas, Hillegees, Hilleggas, Hilleghas, Hillekas, Hilleges, Hilligass, Hillgies, Hilligess, Hilleyeas, Hilleggas, Hilliges, Hilleghas and Hillkass.

The original spelling of the name was Hillecass. This was anglicized during the German immigration to America in the late 19th and early 20th century, so that many variations of the name were recorded in the US census of the era.

In other parts of the world where Germanic languages are spoken, such as the Netherlands, the Hillegass surname has a different spelling; Hilliges being the most common.

Surnames derived from the Hillegass root, such as Hilliges, Hillegass, and Hillgies, are still found in Germany today, and in other countries of Germanic heritage, such as the Netherlands, Belgium and the Scandinavian countries.

The Hillegass surname is a Germanic surname, and its variants are still found throughout the world, as immigrants have spread out to different countries over the centuries. It is thought that the name is derived from the words “hilde” meaning “hero” and “gasse” meaning “street;” hence, the name could be translated to mean “hero of the street.”

Famous people with the name Hillegass

• John Hillegass: an American actor best known for playing Officer Riley in the 2007 chick flick Picture This
• Bessie Hillegass: an American educator who led the charge to create the Erie County Normal School, and later became the dean of the school
• Jacob Hillegass: an American politician who served in the Ohio House of Representatives
• Curtis Hillegass: an American radio broadcaster and philanthropist who was the first to launch an all-country music station in Pennsylvania
• Thomas Hillegass: an American lawyer and judge who served in the Wisconsin Supreme Court
• Augustus Hillegass: an American civil engineer who worked on the first railway lines in the United States
• Lorrin Hillegass: an American architect whose work graced theaters, skyscrapers, churches, and homes
• Ervin Hillegass: an American inventor who was the first to invent electric lighting in buildings
• Augustus Hillegass Jr.: an American architect who designed the City and County Building in Denver, Colorado
• Clara Hillegass: an American social reformer who championed the emancipation of women and children in America

Other surnames

HillegasHillegast