The Dillman surname and its variants spread across North America in four distinct waves over roughly 250 years. This page maps those settlement patterns using data compiled from the DFA’s Family Group Sheets. The map reflects documented family groups rather than individual population counts — states with more groups had more distinct, unrelated Dillman lines present. Family Group Sheets 1–16 are confirmed through Y-DNA testing; all subsequent groups are documented from migration and historical records.
🔎 How to use this map: Select an era button to filter the map to that migration period. The map shades each state by the number of documented family groups present — darker blue means more groups. Hover any state to see the count. Scroll down for detailed notes on each era and key settlement concentrations.
More groups
Canada: Family Group 18 (Nova Scotia), Group 2a (Nova Scotia/New Brunswick), and several Volga German groups (British Columbia, Prairie provinces) are not shown on this US map.
Origin regions
Migration waves
Notable Settlement Concentrations
Colorado (9 groups)
The single highest concentration of Volga German Dillman groups. Most trace to the colony of Norka or Frank on the Volga River, arriving via Kansas and Nebraska between 1875 and 1910. Families settled in Yuma, Logan, and Weld counties.
Nebraska (8 groups)
Scotts Bluff, Custer, and Cuming counties show the highest Dillman density. Families from the Norka and New Norka colonies settled here in the 1880s and 1890s.
Pennsylvania (11 groups)
The earliest and most historically significant concentration. Adams County is particularly associated with the Andrew Dillman line (Family Group 1), documented there from at least the 1780s.
New York (13 groups)
The largest concentration of non-Volga German immigrant groups. Most arrived between 1840 and 1880 from Hesse, Nassau, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Alsace, settling in New York City and surrounding counties.
Wisconsin (10 groups)
A mix of direct German immigrants (1840s–1880s) and Volga German settlers. Milwaukee was a major destination for Dillmann families from Rhineland-Palatinate.
Washington State (7 groups)
Almost entirely Volga German in origin, particularly from the Norka colony. The Pacific Northwest became a significant Dillman cluster by 1910.
Data sourced from the Dillman Family Association Family Group Sheets (163 groups, updated through 2024). Settlement dates are approximate. This map covers North American family groups only; Dillman families are also documented in Germany, Netherlands, France, Australia, Brazil, Chile, and South Africa. Last updated May 2026.