Stiltner
A surname likely formed from a nickname or occupational byname built on the idea of a stilts-maker, stilt-walker, or someone unusually tall and thin.
The #8,834 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 83,242 Americans shares it.
Etymology
No securely documented dictionary entry was found for this surname, so the origin has to be inferred from the name shape. Stiltner looks like it may be built on the word "stilt," with an added surname-forming ending such as -ner, which in some surnames can suggest a person connected with a thing or activity. The most plausible sense is therefore a nickname or occupational-style name referring to someone who used stilts, made them, or was compared to a stilt-like person; a Germanic link is also possible because -ner is common in German surnames.
History
The surname is most strongly associated today with the United States, especially Appalachian and nearby regions, where a number of rare surnames of German or English origin became established. Because no direct historical dictionary entry was available here, its early development is uncertain, but the name likely arose as a local byname before becoming hereditary. The current spelling may reflect later Americanization or family-specific stabilization of an older form.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
With only a few thousand bearers in the U.S., Stiltner is a distinctly uncommon surname, which often makes family lines easier to trace within local records once the earliest settlement area is known.