Tullis
An Irish and Scottish surname that likely means “descendant of Tully” or is linked to place-names called Tulloch/Tullagh.
The #7,714 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 71,735 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The name is treated in 19th-century surname studies as a form of Tully, especially with the sense “Tully’s son” or descendant. Another line of explanation links it to Gaelic and Irish place-names such as Tulloch or Tullagh, based on words for a hillock or small hill. In some cases the surname may also be connected with an English or Irish locational name rather than a direct patronymic.
History
Harrison explicitly treats Tullis as a variant of Tully, while other surname writers connect it with Aberdeen-area or Irish place-name forms. The name appears chiefly in Scottish and Irish surname contexts, and the spelling has likely been influenced by regional pronunciation and local record-keeping. It is not a very common surname, but it has established usage in Scotland, Ireland, and later in the United States.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
One early surname dictionary glossed Tullis quite literally as “Tully’s (son).”
From the historical record
“TULLEY, V. Tully. TULLIS, Tully's (Son) : v. Tully. TULLOCH 1 (Celt.) Bel. to Tulloch (Scotl.) ; TULLOCK J or Dweller at a Hillock [Gael. (and Ir.) tulacK] TULLY (A.-Fr.-Lat. -|- Celt.) Bel. to Tully (Somme) = TuLLius's Estate [M.Lat. *TuUiacum:dc-um, the Lat.-Gaul. possess. suff.]”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)