In Croatia, Hilj families are mainly Italians (from Buje area ), less frequently Croats (from Pazin area ). In the past century, relatively most of Croatian residents bearing this family name were born in Pula and in Slovenia. In Kukurini in Pazin area every thirtieth inhabitant had the family name Hilj.
Prevalence
About 20 people with faimily name Hilj live in Croatia today, in 7 households. There were 40 of them in the middle of the past century, and their number halved. They are located in only four naselja i to in Brtonigla in Buje area (10), Pula (<10), Kaldir in Buzet area (<5), and in Kukurini in Pazin area (<5).