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Pillar Family History

Pillar Name Meaning

English (Devon): topographic name for a dweller by a stream from an agent derivative of Middle English pil(e) pel(e) pul(e) ‘stream creek’ see Pill . English (Devon): topographic name for a dweller by a stake or post (for fastening a boat for example) from an agent derivative of Middle English pil(e) pila pille ‘stake pile’. English (Devon): nickname from Middle English pilour piller pelour peler (Old French pilleur) ‘thief’. According to the East Anglian glossary Promptorium Parvulorum (about 1440) it was used of rent collectors and taxmen: ‘Pylowre or he that pelyth [robs] other men as cachpolls or odyre lyk pilator depredator’. Cornish and English: variant of Peller .

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Pillard, Pill, Pallas, Villar, Puller, Villa, Pilla, Tiller, Bellar

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Pillar family from?

You can see how Pillar families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Pillar family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Pillar families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 98 Pillar families living in Devon. This was about 39% of all the recorded Pillar's in United Kingdom. Devon had the highest population of Pillar families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Pillar surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Pillar ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Pillar. 36% of Pillar men worked as a General Labourer and 86% of Pillar women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Pillar were Master Builder and Boarder House. .

View Census Data for Pillar | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    36%
  • Retired
    18%
  • Ship Rigger
    12%
  • Master Builder
    12%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    86%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    5%
  • Housewife
    4%
  • Boarder House
    3%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Pillar family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 9,000 census records available for the last name Pillar. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Pillar census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Pillar

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Pillar. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Pillar immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Pillar. For the veterans among your Pillar ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Pillar military records

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What is the average Pillar lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Pillar life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1971, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Pillar in 1942 was 57, and 80 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Pillar

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