Hilton is an English surname and given name of Norman origin. It is derived from the Germanic word "hil" meaning hill or mound, combined with "tun" which means enclosure or settlement. Thus, Hilton literally translates to "settlement on a hill."
The name Hilton has been traced back to the medieval period in England, where it was primarily used as a surname. It is believed to have originated from one of two places: either a manor called Hilton in Derbyshire, or a manor named Hylton in Northumberland.
Over time, Hilton evolved from being purely a surname to also being used as a given name. In the United States, for example, it became more popular as a first name in the mid-20th century, with notable figures such as Hilton Als (a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer) and Paris Hilton (a socialite, businesswoman, and media personality) contributing to its popularity.
Despite its origins and history, there are no specific cultural or traditional associations linked to the name Hilton. It is simply a name of Norman origin that has evolved over centuries, first as a surname indicating place of origin, then later as a given name standing on its own merit.
The name Hilton experienced a significant increase in popularity between the late 1800s and early 1900s, with a steady rise in births from around 5-8 per year in the 1880s and 1890s to over 20 births annually by 1905. This trend continued throughout much of the first half of the twentieth century, reaching its peak in 1920 with 138 births that year. After World War II, the popularity of the name Hilton began to decline, falling below 100 births per year from the late 1940s onwards. In recent years, the number of babies named Hilton has fluctuated between around 15-30 births per year, with a total of 6897 births recorded since 1882.