2000
#12,302
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,318
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.86
Rare Last name
Stiller
A German occupational surname referring to a calm or quiet person, derived from the German word "still".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,332 Americans carry the last name Stiller. That puts it at #14,170 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.68 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 146,979 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Stiller surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Stiller with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.3K
1 in 146,979
Census rank
#14,170
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,034 bearers of the surname Stiller in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.68 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14170th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Stiller, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Black (3.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Stiller
The surname Stiller originated in Germany during the medieval period, specifically in the regions of Bavaria and Saxony. It is derived from the German word "Stille," which means "quiet" or "peaceful." This suggests that the name was initially given as a descriptive nickname to someone known for their calm and tranquil demeanor.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Stiller can be found in the Bavarian town records of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, dating back to the 14th century. These records mention a Hanns Stiller, a local merchant and landowner. Another early reference is found in the chronicles of the city of Leipzig, where a certain Konrad Stiller is mentioned as a respected citizen in the year 1412.
The Stiller name also appears in several historical documents related to the Protestant Reformation. During this period, a Lutheran theologian and reformer named Michael Stiller (1487-1567) played a significant role in spreading the teachings of Martin Luther in the region of Saxony. His writings and sermons were influential in shaping the religious landscape of the time.
In the 17th century, the name Stiller was associated with the town of Stillersgrun, located in the Vogtlandkreis region of Saxony. This place name is believed to have derived from the Stiller family, who were prominent landowners in the area. One notable member of this family was Hans Stiller (1592-1658), a successful merchant and civic leader who helped establish the town's prosperity.
Another prominent figure bearing the Stiller surname was Johann Jakob Stiller (1701-1781), a German composer and organist who served as the Kapellmeister (music director) at the court of the Prince of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. His works, including numerous church cantatas and instrumental pieces, were highly regarded during his lifetime.
In the 19th century, the Stiller name gained recognition in the field of literature with the writer and poet Adalbert Stiller (1809-1863). Born in Dresden, Saxony, Stiller was known for his romantic poetry and is considered one of the foremost representatives of the "Young Germany" literary movement.
Throughout its history, the surname Stiller has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including craftsmen, scholars, artists, and professionals. While the name has maintained its stronghold in Germany, it has also spread to other parts of the world through emigration, particularly to North America and other European countries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Stiller
Among Census respondents with the surname Stiller, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Black (3.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Stiller bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Stiller surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.3% · 1,817
- Hispanic or Latino3.6% · 73
- Black or African American3.0% · 62
- Two or more races2.9% · 58
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 14
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 10
Timeline
Historical Census data for Stiller
Stiller appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#10,615
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,016
+698 bearers (+30.1%)
Per 100,000 1.02
Rank movement Up 1,687 places
2020
#14,170
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,034
-982 bearers (-32.6%)
Per 100,000 0.68
Rank movement Down 3,555 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,302 | 2,318 | 0.86 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,615 | 3,016 | 1.02 | +698 bearers (+30.1%) | Up 1,687 places |
| 2020 | #14,170 | 2,034 | 0.68 | -982 bearers (-32.6%) | Down 3,555 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Stiller surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #10,615 | #14,170 | -33.5% |
| Count | 3,016 | 2,034 | -32.6% |
| Per 100K | 1.02 | 0.68 | -33.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Stiller bearers went from 3,016 to 2,034 (-32.6% change). The surname moved down 3,555 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,615 to #14,170.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Stiller
FAQ
Stiller surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Stiller?
Name Census estimates that about 2,332 living Americans carry the surname Stiller. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 146,979 residents.
How common is Stiller?
Stiller ranks #14,170 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.68 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,034 people with the surname Stiller. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,332), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.68 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.68 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Stiller.
Has Stiller become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Stiller went from 3,016 recorded bearers to 2,034. That is a decrease of 982 (-32.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #10,615 to #14,170.
What does the Census say about the background of Stiller?
Among Census respondents with the surname Stiller, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Black (3.0%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Stiller in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.3% (1,817 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Stiller appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.3%), Hispanic (3.6%), Black (3.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Stiller (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Stiller mean?
A German occupational surname referring to a calm or quiet person, derived from the German word "still". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Stiller (0.68 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Stiller?
If you just want to know how common the surname Stiller is, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.