Surname Hilt - Meaning and Origin
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Hilt: What does the surname Hilt mean?
The last name Hilt is an English toponymic surname derived from early Middle English and Old Norse origins. It is believed to derive from the word ‘hyll’ or hill, meaning a hill or hillside.
Historically, it was common for people to adopt a new surname when they moved to a new area or location, sometimes by taking on the name of an existing location or area. It is likely that this is how the name Hilt began to appear amongst English families.
The name Hilt is derived from Hylte, a Scandinavian place-name that first appeared in documents from the 12th century. The variant spelling of the surname ‘Hyll’ was also found in recordings of the region, suggesting a possible dual origin for the name.
In the Middle Ages, the people of the Hilt family resided in Yorkshire where they were recorded as landlords of multiple estates since the 16th century.
Throughout history, the name has been associated with many places of significance in England, including nearby villages and manors. It is believed that members of the Hilt family were lords of a manor in the North Riding of Yorkshire during the late medieval period.
Today, there are still many people with the last name Hilt residing in England, as well as scattered families around the world. It is a reminder of the family’s ancient Anglo-Scandinavian roots, and a testament to its endurance and spread through the centuries.
Order DNA origin analysisHilt: Where does the name Hilt come from?
Hilt is a common surname in parts of Europe, the United States, and Canada. It is an anglicized version of the German Hilte. In Germany, the Hilte family was prominent in the Hesse area along the Rhine River.
In the United States, Hilt is primarily found in the South and Midwest. It is most prevalent in Tennessee, where 5.2 out of every 1,000 – or 0.52 percent – have the name. Pennsylvania also has a relatively high concentration of Hilts, with 4.6 per 1,000 people, or 0.46 percent. Other states in which the name is somewhat common are North Carolina (0.45 percent), Texas (0.41 percent), and Indiana (0.4 percent).
In Canada, the surname is concentrated mostly in Quebec, where it is most prominent in Blainey and Brompton. It is also somewhat common in British Columbia, Manitoba, and Alberta.
Hilt is also sometimes found in Scotland, where it is often anglicized from the Gaelic Mac an Tòisich, meaning "son of the chief," or simply MacTôisich. This surname was traditionally bestowed upon the chief of a clan to distinguish him from the rest of the family.
Variations of the surname Hilt
Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Hilt include Hillt, Hylte, Hyltey, Hilltee, Hylt, Hielt, Huilt, Heilt, Hielte, Hilett and Hillte.
The Germanic origin of the name Hilt implies a geographical origin of the Low Countries as well as the regions of present-day northern Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands, where many of the variants of the name are still in use today.
The surname Hillt is an earliest known Anglo-Saxon variant, which is further attested to in South Wales as well as the English county of Suffolk. This suggests a broad geographical background for those who adopted the name, with the decline in popularity of the Hillt spelling later on.
The variants Hylt and Hielt are both derived from Hilt, and can be found on record from as early as the 16th century and found largely in the counties of Wiltshire, Norfolk, Kent, Somerset, Surrey and Suffolk.
The variants Hylete, Hyletey, Hilltee, Hielte, Hilett and Hillte respectively all appear in both Ireland and England until the 19th century. All of these variants are believed to derive from the original Anglo-Saxon name Hilt, whereas Huilt is believed to be an Irish variant of the same name.
In conclusion, there is a wide range of variants and spellings of the same origin for the surname Hilt, with a geographical reach that stretches from Germany and the Low Countries to Ireland and England.
Famous people with the name Hilt
- Lana Hilt, American pageant titleholder
- Mike Hilt, former NFL football player
- Walter Hilt, French actor
- William Hilt, British Royal Navy officer
- Alexander Hilt, German botanist
- Robert Hilt, American librarian and stamp collector
- John Hilt, American farmer
- Christian Hilt, Norwegian wrestler
- Johannes Hilt, German entrepreneur
- Howard Hilt, British comedian
- Joseph Hilt, Swiss Alpine military officer
- Lynne Hilt, American athlete
- Lowell Hilt, American professional basketball player
- Reinhold Hilt, American religious leader
- Lotte Hilt, Danish painter
- Susan Hilt, Canadian singer/songwriter
- Timmie Hilt, American basketball coach
- Christopher Hilt, American writer
- Bonnie Hilt, American politician
- Thomas Hilt, German engineer and entrepreneur