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Origins of the Phillips surname

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What does the name Phillips mean?

The origin of the Phillips surname is English and has been found in records dating back to the 1200s. Phillips is a patronymic name that denotes someone who is the son or descendant of a person named Phillip, a popular name until the reign of Elizabeth I.

Alternative variations of the name Phillips

Phillips, Phillip, Philips, Philip, Philps

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Where do most Phillipses live?

In 1921, most Phillipses lived in London.


Census records trace your ancestors through each generation, so you can follow where your relatives lived through each decade.

Interesting facts about Phillipses

How common is your surname?

52nd most common surname in the UK

We have 566,000 records for the Phillips surname. The oldest one dates back to 1220.

Who were Phillipses most likely to marry?

Smiths

&

Joneses

Our Marriage record sets tell us which families married Phillipses.

What are the most common Phillips first names?

  • John
  • William
  • Mary
  • Elizabeth

Our birth record sets tell us the names of Phillips family members

Common jobs for Phillipses

Men and women often performed different types of jobs, so these are displayed by gender to maintain their historical accuracy.

Common Female occupations for Phillipses in 1921
Dressmaker

2,722

General Servant Domestic

1,382

Domestic Servant

1,360

Laundress

1,350

General Servant

1,144

Common Male occupations for Phillipses in 1921
Coal Miner

2,868

Agricultural Labourer

2,224

Farmer

2,122

General Labourer

1,840

Carpenter

1,666

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Census records provide incredible detail on names, ages, marital statuses, occupations and more.

We found over 530,000 family trees with the Phillips surname

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