Estill is a unique and distinctive given name of American origin. It does not have a widely recognized meaning or history associated with it in the way that many other names do. Instead, Estill appears to be a surname that has been adopted as a given name in some instances.
The surname Estill is believed to have originated from England. It is thought to have derived from the Old English word "east" meaning "eastern," and "hyll" meaning "hill." Therefore, Estill could potentially mean "eastern hill."
However, it is important to note that this etymology is not universally accepted, and there may be other possible origins for the name. Some sources suggest that Estill may have been an occupational name for a maker of estivals, which were elaborate headresses worn by women in medieval Europe.
As a given name, Estill is quite rare. It does not appear to have any significant historical figures or famous individuals associated with it. Therefore, its history as a given name is somewhat limited and unclear.
In conclusion, while Estill may be an interesting and unique choice for a given name, its origins and meanings are not widely recognized or well-documented. This lack of established history and meaning makes Estill a versatile and personal choice that can hold whatever significance the person bearing it chooses to assign to it.
The name Estill has been used relatively infrequently as a given name in the United States over the past century and a half. The first recorded birth of a child named Estill was in 1883, with five such births that year. This number fluctuated over the next few decades, ranging from a low of six births in 1894 to a high of eight births in 1911.
The years between 1915 and 1921 saw a significant increase in the popularity of the name Estill, with a peak of forty-one births in 1915. This trend continued into the early 1920s, with thirty-nine births recorded in 1921.
However, from the mid-1920s onwards, the use of the name Estill as a given name began to decline steadily. There were twenty-five births in 1927, dropping to thirteen in 1931 and further declining to nine in 1948. The name's popularity hit its lowest point in recent history in 1950 with only fourteen births recorded that year.
Despite this overall decline, there have been occasional spikes in the use of the name Estill over the years. For instance, there were twenty-two births in 1930 and twenty-six in 1932. More recently, there were seven births in 1981 and five in 1993.
In total, there have been 1,246 recorded births of children named Estill in the United States since 1883. While this number may seem impressive, it's important to note that this represents only a small fraction of the overall birth population during this time period.
The statistics provided offer insights into the historical usage of the name Estill and its trends over time in the United States. However, they do not reveal why parents chose this particular name for their children or what cultural, social, or personal factors may have influenced their decision.