Surname Cil - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'C'
Cil: What does the surname Cil mean?
The origins of the last name Cil have been traced to Celtic lands where it was used to describe a fortification. The suffix "-cil" construction is a frequent feature of place-names in the British Isles, and it has been suggested that the name may have been originally taken from a place-name that described a fortified area.
The word Cil can also be taken to refer to a thinly cultivated patch of land. In Ireland, this type of land was often rented out by the family, and the last name Cil may have been adopted by someone who was a tenant of such a patch of land.
It has been postulated that the Cil surname may be a variation of the Gaelic Cill, which means church or monastery. The old Irish Kel is linked to Cill and means a retired hermitage or a church. These origins may have been adopted by someone who was living at or near a monastery or church or who was a monk or hermit.
The Cil surname is especially common in northwest England and Wales, where it is found in its several forms: Cill, Cel, Cial, and in Scotland as Gil. It can also be found in Ireland.
In summary, the last name Cil has various potential origins, and its use may have referred to a fortification, a patch of rented land or a monastery or church occupied by a hermit or monk.
Order DNA origin analysisCil: Where does the name Cil come from?
The last name Cil is most common in southern Europe, particularly the Balkan region and historically the Ottoman Empire. The name is thought to be of Byzantine Greek origin, with the root cil meaning "of a tree". It is found in places such as Turkey, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Kosovo, and Romania.
In Turkey, the surname Cil is also found to be written as Çil, and is much more common. It is the 4th most common surname in the country, indicating a large population of individuals bearing the name. In the cities of Istanbul and Izmir the surname Çil is especially common, with its usage estimated to make up about 0.5% of the overall population in each city.
In other parts of Europe, such as Austria and the Netherlands, variations on the spelling can also be found, such as Zill and Tsil.
In the United States, few people bear the last name Cil, with statistics reporting that fewer than 500 people use this name in the whole country. However, due to migration from Europe to the US, the name is slowly becoming more common in America as well.
Variations of the surname Cil
The surname Cil is derived from the Latin word "cilium" meaning "eyebrow," and can be seen in various spellings and variants throughout Europe.
In France, the surname is typically spelled as Cil, Cille, Cillett, Cillette, Cilleux, or Cilleville. In the Netherlands, it is commonly found in its original spelling of Cil, as well as spelled as Cille, Cillé, Ceel, or Ceele. It is also sometimes utilized as a nickname for a person who is inquisitive or inquiring.
In Italy, the surname is commonly found as Cilli, Cillo, Cillio, Cillotto, or Cilloco. In Germany, it is usually spelled as Zil, Zill, Zille, Ziell, Ziel, Zielle, or Zillmann while in Russia, it may be seen as Zylyosc.
In England, the surname is usually seen as Cill, Cil, and occasionally Cills. Variant spellings of Cill across other regions include Cillo, Cilo, Ceille, Cillot, Cillet, Ceillé, Cilee, and Ceill.
In Spanish speaking countries, the surname is typically found as Cejas, Cejas Ayala, Cil, Cillo, and Zyler.
It is also found as a surname in various other cultures such as India with a common variant being Cilamby.
Famous people with the name Cil
- Giancarlo Ciliberto, Venezuelan actor.
- Francesco Cilea, Italian composer and conductor.
- Theodora Cillacci, Italian actress.
- João Gilberto Cilladi, known as João Gilberto, Brazilian songwriter and singer.
- Muriel Cillari, Spanish model and actress.
- Gianluigi Cilloni, Italian actor, comedian and writer.
- Lyman Cilley, American Army colonel who served in the Indian wars.
- Mattia Cilloni, Italian film, television and stage actor.
- Pino Cillari, Italian screenwriter and director.
- Maria Inês Cil, Brazilian film director, producer and screenwriter.
- João Cilley, Brazilian digital artist, illustrator and cartoonist.
- Roque Cilley, American professional baseball player.
- Antonio Ciliberti, Italian actor, director, producer and screenwriter.
- Jean-Claude Cilley, French writer, poet and researcher.
- Júlio Cilley, Brazilian Contemporary artist.
- Graziella Cillardo, Italian stage director and actress.
- Lucas Cillario, Argentine film producer, screenwriter and television presenter.
- Delio Cillara, Brazilian footballer.
- Gisèle Cilley, French singer and actress.
- André Cilley, French aviator and fighter pilot.