NameCensus.

UK surname

Gil

A Spanish surname derived from the given name Gil, which is a shortened form of Egidio, meaning "shield" or "protection."

In the 1881 census there were 10 people recorded with the Gil surname, ranking it #32,243 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 563, ranked #9,114, up from #32,243 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kensington and Chelsea, Nottingham and Harlow.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gil is 563 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 5530.0%.

1881 census count

10

Ranked #32,243

Modern count

563

2016, ranked #9,114

Peak year

2016

563 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gil had 10 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,243 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 563 in 2016, ranked #9,114.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 13 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Gil surname distribution map

The map shows where the Gil surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Gil surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gil over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 13 #30,970
1881 historical 10 #32,243
1901 historical 12 #32,772
1997 modern 194 #17,978
1998 modern 218 #17,159
1999 modern 229 #16,744
2000 modern 211 #17,603
2001 modern 203 #17,787
2002 modern 227 #16,877
2003 modern 224 #16,859
2004 modern 237 #16,283
2005 modern 255 #15,437
2006 modern 287 #14,295
2007 modern 307 #13,822
2008 modern 340 #12,989
2009 modern 369 #12,447
2010 modern 426 #11,396
2011 modern 428 #11,219
2012 modern 450 #10,654
2013 modern 498 #10,049
2014 modern 536 #9,579
2015 modern 539 #9,477
2016 modern 563 #9,114

Geography

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Where Gils are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kensington and Chelsea, Nottingham, Harlow, Great Yarmouth and Ealing. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kensington and Chelsea 005 Kensington and Chelsea
2 Nottingham 029 Nottingham
3 Harlow 005 Harlow
4 Great Yarmouth 006 Great Yarmouth
5 Ealing 011 Ealing

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gil

These lists show first names that appear often with the Gil surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gil

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Gil, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Ethnically Diverse Young Families

Nationally, the Gil surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Young Families, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Gil household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many younger parents born overseas (particularly in Africa or EU countries) with children aged 0-4. Individuals identifying as of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities are also common. English may not be the primary language spoken. Accommodation consists principally of flats, and many properties are socially rented and/or overcrowded. Students are also present, unemployment is common, and other adults tend to work in low skilled jobs.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Gil is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gil is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gil falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Gil is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Gil, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Gil

The surname GIL has its origins in Spain and Portugal, where it emerged during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the given name Gil, a Spanish and Portuguese form of the French name Gilles, which itself traces back to the Greek name Aegidius.

In its earliest recorded usage, the name GIL appeared in various medieval Spanish and Portuguese documents, such as the Libro de las Behetrías de Castilla, a 14th-century manuscript detailing the landholdings and privileges of Castilian nobles. It was also found in the Cancioneiro da Ajuda, a 13th-century Portuguese book of poems and songs.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname GIL was Gil Pérez, a 12th-century nobleman from the Kingdom of León in present-day Spain. Another notable figure was Gil Vicente, a renowned Portuguese playwright and poet who lived from around 1465 to 1536 and is considered the founder of Portuguese theater.

The name GIL has been associated with several place names in Spain and Portugal, such as Gil García, a town in the Spanish province of Ávila, and Villa Gil, a parish in the Portuguese municipality of Lousada. These place names likely derived from individuals with the surname GIL who were either landowners or founders of those settlements.

Throughout history, the surname GIL has been borne by various notable individuals, including:

1. Gil Álvarez Carrillo de Albornoz (1310-1367), a Spanish cardinal and military leader who played a pivotal role in the Avignon Papacy. 2. Gil de Siloé (c. 1435-1501), a Spanish sculptor and architect known for his work on the Cathedral of Burgos. 3. Gil González Dávila (1570-1658), a Spanish historian and author of the influential work "Teatro Eclesiástico de las Iglesias Metropolitanas y Catedrales de los Reinos de las Dos Castillas." 4. Gil Eannes (c. 1235-1325), a Portuguese navigator and explorer credited with discovering the Canary Islands in the 14th century. 5. Gil Puyat (1880-1966), a Filipino lawyer, politician, and diplomat who served as a Senator and Secretary of Foreign Affairs.

While the surname GIL has its roots in the Iberian Peninsula, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through Spanish and Portuguese colonization and migration. However, its historical significance remains deeply rooted in the cultural and linguistic heritage of Spain and Portugal.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gil families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gil surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Morayshire leads with 4 Gils recorded in 1881 and an index of 330.58x.

County Total Index
Morayshire 4 330.58x
Surrey 3 7.89x
Merionethshire 1 69.93x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Duffus in Morayshire leads with 4 Gils recorded in 1881 and an index of 3636.36x.

Place Total Index
Duffus 4 3636.36x
Lambeth 2 29.41x
Battersea 1 34.84x
Towyn 1 1111.11x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Gil surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Ada 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Gil surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Joseph 1
Juan 1
Romand 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Gil households.

FAQ

Gil surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gil surname in 1881?

In 1881, 10 people were recorded with the Gil surname. That placed it at #32,243 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gil surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 563 in 2016. That gives Gil a modern rank of #9,114.

What does the Gil surname mean?

A Spanish surname derived from the given name Gil, which is a shortened form of Egidio, meaning "shield" or "protection."

What does the Gil map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Gil bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.