Contents [hide]

Lilly History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Australia New Zealand West Indies

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Sources

Lilly History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Etymology of Lilly

What does the name Lilly mean?

The origins of the name Lilly are with the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from the popular female personal name Elizabeth. The name Lilly is a metronymic surname, which is derived from the name of the mother. Occasionally, the surname is derived from residence in the settlement of Lilley in Hertfordshire or in the place called Lilly in Berkshire. In this case, the name Lilly belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Lilly family

The surname Lilly was first found in Worcestershire where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Lilly family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lilly research. Another 138 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1553, 1560, 1578, 1580, 1602, 1606, 1618, 1652, 1680, 1681 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Lilly History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lilly Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Lilly has been spelled many different ways, including Lillie, Lilie, Lilley, Lilly and others.

Early Notables of the Lilly family

Distinguished members of the family include

John Lyly (Lilly or Lylie

Lilly Ranking

In the United States, the name Lilly is the 1,334^th most popular surname with an estimated 22,383 people with that name. 1 However, in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Lilly is ranked the 582^nd most popular surname with an estimated 79 people with that name. 2

Migration of the Lilly family to Ireland

Some of the Lilly family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 70 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lilly migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Lillys to arrive in North America:

Lilly Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Edward Lilly, who landed in Virginia in 1637 3
Robert Lilly, who landed in Virginia in 1654 3
William Lilly, who arrived in Maryland in 1658 3
Susan Lilly, who arrived in Maryland in 1662 3
Tho Lilly, who landed in Virginia in 1663 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Lilly Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

John Lilly, who arrived in America in 1760-1763 3
Gottfr Lilly, who landed in America in 1783 3
Gottfried Lilly, who arrived in America in 1783 3
Johann Christoph Lilly, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1786 3
Samuel Lilly, who arrived in New York in 1797 3

Lilly Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Nancy Lilly, who landed in New York in 1801 3
James Lilly, who arrived in South Carolina in 1810 3
G Lilly, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1850 3
Mrs. C Lilly, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 3
Charles Lilly, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Lilly migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Lilly Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Matthew Lilly, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1749

Lilly migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Lilly Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Daniel Lilly, Scottish convict who was convicted in Edinburgh, Scotland for 14 years, transported aboard the "Dunvegan Castle" on 13th March 1830, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 4
Mr. James Lilly who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "England"on 31st March 1832, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 5
John Lilly, who arrived in Kangaroo Island aboard the ship "Buffalo" in 1836 6
Mr. William Lilly, English convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Elphinstone" on 28th July 1842, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 7
Mr. John Lilly, (Robinson), Welsh convict who was convicted in Ruthin, Denbighshire, Wales for 7 years, transported aboard the "Equestrian" on 27th August 1852, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Island) 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Lilly migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Lilly Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

William Lilly, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Queen of Beauty" in 1863
Mr. William Lilly, (b. 1843), aged 21, British labourer travelling from Gravesend, UK aboard the ship "British Empire" arriving in Lyttelton, South Island, New Zealand on 6th September 1864 9

Contemporary Notables of the name Lilly (post 1700) +

Theodore Roosevelt "Ted" Lilly III (b. 1976), American Major League Baseball pitcher
John Lilly (b. 1971), American-born venture capitalist, Chief executive officer of the Mozilla Corporation from 2008-2010
Eli Lilly (1838-1898), American soldier, pharmaceutical chemist, industrialist and founder of the Eli Lilly and Company, the pharmaceutical corporation
Robert Lewis "Bob" Lilly (b. 1939), American former NFL football defensive tackle, inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980
Josiah Kirby Lilly Sr. (1861-1948), American pharmaceutical industrialist, philanthropist, and President of Eli Lilly and Company from 1890 to 1922
Josiah Kirby Lilly Jr. (1893-1966), American pharmaceutical industrialist and President of Eli Lilly and Company from 1948 to 1953
John Cunningham Lilly (1915-2001), American physician, psychoanalyst, psychonaut, philosopher and writer
Kristine Marie Lilly (b. 1971), American soccer player
A. Z. Lilly, American Democratic Party politician, Mayor of Beckley, West Virginia, 1934 10
A. A. Lilly, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from West Virginia, 1928, 1932, 1936, 1940, 1944 10
... (Another 41 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Lilly family +

Halifax Explosion

Mrs. Marion Lilly (1892-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 11

Sources +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 12th August 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/dunvegan-castle
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 26th April 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/england
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) HMS BUFFALO 1836. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1836Buffalo.htm
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 23rd March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elphinstone
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th May 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/equestrian
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 8) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance