STILL
The surname Still is of English origin and is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears under the spelling Aluuinus Stilla. Its presence in this foundational survey confirms that the name was established in England by the late 11th century.
There are several documented derivations for the name. One proposes that it is a topographic name for a person who lived by a still or stagnant body of water; this reading derives from the Old English word stille. Another suggests that Still was a nickname for a calm or quiet individual, again based on the Middle English word still meaning serene. A third possibility views the name as occupational, referring to a distiller, since the Middle English term still denoted the distilling apparatus. Finally, some scholars see the name as locational, belonging to inhabitants of places called Still or Stille in Europe.
The surname occurs in many spellings, including Still, Stille, Stillman, Stillmann, Stiller, Stile, Stiling, Stilling and Stillmann. Variants are found in English, German and Dutch records, with forms such as Stillman and Stilling appearing in medieval Germanic documents.
Early document examples illustrate the name’s long history. In 1166 the Pipe Rolls of Sussex record a Lefwinus Stille; in 1240 a Heinrich Stille of Mainz is mentioned in German archives. The 1275 Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire note a Richard le Stille, while a 1496 entry lists Bernhard Stilling of Schuttorf, Hanover. In the 19th century the name appears again: a William Still is noted as sailing from Liverpool aboard the Charles Humberton to New York on 15 June 1846, a journey undertaken during the Irish Potato Famine.
Geographically, the surname is found across the British Isles and in German-speaking regions, reflecting its early medieval spread in the north‑eastern continent. The name remains in use among contemporary families, and it is recorded in modern civil registries and census records in several English‑speaking countries.
As an Anglo‑Saxon name that has persisted for over a millennium, Still exemplifies how a surname can survive through diverse linguistic and cultural shifts while retaining its core etymological roots.
Typical given names associated with the Still surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Robert
- William
Female
- Alison
- Anne
- Catherine
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Karen
- Linda
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Siddle
- Sidoli
- Staal
- Staals
- Stahl
- Stahli
- Stailey
- Stala
- Stale
- Stales
- Stall
- Stalley
- Stalls
- Stally
- Stals
- Staly
- Steal
- Steel
- Steele
- Steell
- Steels
- Steil
- Steile
- Steill
- Stel
- Stele
- Stelea
- Steles
- Stell
- Stella
- Stellas
- Stelle
- Stelley
- Stellie
- Stelloo
- Stelly
- Stelz
- Stiehl
- Stiel
- Stiell
- Stielow
- Stil
- Stile
- Stille
- Stillo
- Stills
- Stol
- Stols
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Still in...
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There are approximately 3,936 people named Still in the UK. That makes it roughly the 2,371st most common surname in Britain. Around 60 in a million people in Britain are named Still.
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Still
- John Still - Football player and manager
- George Frederic Still - Paediatrician (1868 to 1941)
- Robert Still - Composer (1910 to 1971)
- William Joseph Still - Mechanical engineer and inventor
- Stuart Still - Cricketer
- Ron Still - Football player
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.