FastNamesPhillips Surname
Greek, English and Welsh surname meaning "Patronymic surname derived from the Greek personal name Philip (Philippos, 'lover of horses'), meaning 'son of Philip'.". Ranked 52nd in the United States with 360,802 recorded bearers in the 2010 Census (122.3 per 100,000 Americans).
Meaning and origin of the surname Phillips
Patronymic surname derived from the Greek personal name Philip (Philippos, 'lover of horses'), meaning 'son of Philip'.
Historically and linguistically, Phillips belongs to the Greek, English and Welsh family of surnames. It is conventionally pronounced "FIL-ips".
United States Census frequency and ranking
In the official 2010 United States Census, Phillips was recorded 360,802 times, ranking as the 52nd most common surname in the nation.
This represents an incidence rate of approximately 122.31 bearers per 100,000 Americans, or roughly 1 out of every 818 residents.
Race and ethnicity distribution
According to official decennial Census genealogy microdata, individuals bearing the surname Phillipsreported the following racial and ethnic affiliations in the 2010 US Census:
| Racial or ethnic group | Share of bearers |
|---|---|
| White | 76.69% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2.44% |
| Black or African American | 17.09% |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 0.58% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.03% |
| Two or more races | 2.17% |
Source: US Census Bureau, 2010 Census Surnames Data. Percentages may not sum to exactly 100% due to independent rounding or suppression of small cell counts for privacy protection.
History of the surname Phillips
Phillips is a patronymic surname formed with the genitive -s suffix, signifying 'son of Philip'. Philip stems from ancient Greek Philippos (Φίλιππος), compound of philos ('loving', 'fond of') and hippos ('horse'), an esteemed aristocratic name in antiquity borne by King Philip II of Macedon (father of Alexander the Great) and the Apostle Philip in the New Testament.
Introduced to Britain by Christian clerics and reinforced after 1066 by continental Normans, the name was widely bestowed across England and Wales. In Wales, Phillips became a prominent fixed surname after the Tudor administrative reforms, representing an Anglicization of ap Philip ('son of Philip') among influential gentry families in Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire.
Early English and Welsh settlers bearing the surname arrived in colonial New England and Pennsylvania in the seventeenth century, with the Phillips family founding Phillips Academy in Andover (1778) and Phillips Exeter Academy (1781). Carried by abolitionist Wendell Phillips and cultural figures like Michelle Phillips and director Todd Phillips, the surname ranked 52nd nationwide in the 2010 US Census with 360,802 recorded bearers (122.31 per 100,000 Americans).
Notable people with the surname Phillips
- Wendell Phillips (1811–1884), American abolitionist, orator, and civil rights advocate
- Michelle Phillips (1944–), American singer, songwriter, and actress in The Mamas & the Papas
- Todd Phillips (1970–), American film director, screenwriter, and producer
- Kalvin Phillips (1995–), English professional footballer and Premier League champion
Variants and related surnames
Spelling variants
Related surnames
Sources and references
- P.H. Reaney, R.M. Wilson. A Dictionary of English Surnames (1997), p. 348.
- Charles Wareing Bardsley. A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (1901), p. 596.
- Richard McKinley. A History of British Surnames (1990), p. 128.