NameCensus.

UK surname

Gilboy

An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Giollabuidhe, meaning 'servant of the yellow-haired lad'.

In the 1881 census there were 59 people recorded with the Gilboy surname, ranking it #25,281 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 249, ranked #16,847, up from #25,281 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Liverpool, King's Lynn and West Norfolk and Bradford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gilboy is 257 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 322.0%.

1881 census count

59

Ranked #25,281

Modern count

249

2016, ranked #16,847

Peak year

2013

257 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gilboy had 59 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,281 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 249 in 2016, ranked #16,847.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 91 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Gilboy surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gilboy surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gilboy 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 37 #26,673
1861 historical 67 #25,342
1881 historical 59 #25,281
1891 historical 65 #28,660
1901 historical 83 #24,900
1911 historical 91 #23,684
1997 modern 219 #16,666
1998 modern 227 #16,754
1999 modern 223 #17,025
2000 modern 221 #17,089
2001 modern 221 #16,848
2002 modern 231 #16,677
2003 modern 217 #17,176
2004 modern 221 #17,066
2005 modern 222 #16,983
2006 modern 214 #17,507
2007 modern 208 #18,013
2008 modern 208 #18,171
2009 modern 230 #17,382
2010 modern 249 #16,837
2011 modern 238 #17,188
2012 modern 254 #16,328
2013 modern 257 #16,466
2014 modern 256 #16,643
2015 modern 250 #16,803
2016 modern 249 #16,847

Geography

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Where Gilboys 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 Liverpool, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Bradford and North Tyneside. 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 Liverpool 023 Liverpool
2 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 009 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
3 Liverpool 017 Liverpool
4 Bradford 058 Bradford
5 North Tyneside 006 North Tyneside

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gilboy

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gilboy

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Gilboy, 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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Gilboy surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Gilboy 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Gilboy is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gilboy is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gilboy falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Gilboy is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Gilboy

The surname Gilboy is of Irish origin and dates back to the 17th century. It is believed to have originated from the Irish Gaelic words "giolla" meaning "servant" and "Buidhe" meaning "yellow" or "fair-haired." This suggests that the name was likely a descriptive nickname given to someone who served as a servant or attendant and had fair hair or a yellow complexion.

The earliest recorded instances of the Gilboy surname can be found in various Irish parish records and census data from the late 17th and early 18th centuries. These records often show variations in the spelling, such as Gilbuy, Gillbuy, and Gilboy. The surname was most prevalent in counties such as Galway, Mayo, and Sligo, suggesting that it may have originated in the western regions of Ireland.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Gilboy surname was Patrick Gilboy, born in County Galway in the late 17th century. Historical records indicate that he was a farmer and landowner in the region. Another notable individual was Michael Gilboy, born in County Mayo in the early 18th century, who served as a soldier in the Irish Brigades of the French Army during the Napoleonic Wars.

In the 19th century, the Gilboy surname began to spread beyond Ireland as many Irish families emigrated to other parts of the world, particularly to the United States and Canada. One notable figure from this period was James Gilboy (1823-1901), an Irish-American businessman and philanthropist born in County Mayo, who later settled in New York City and made his fortune in the shipping industry.

Other notable individuals with the Gilboy surname include:

1. Thomas Gilboy (1856-1932), an Irish-American politician who served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts. 2. William Gilboy (1868-1941), an Irish-American Catholic priest and educator who served as the president of St. Joseph's College in Dubuque, Iowa. 3. Mary Gilboy (1891-1975), an American religious sister and educator who founded several schools in the United States. 4. Peter Gilboy (1923-2008), an American entrepreneur and businessman who founded the Gilboy Corporation, a successful manufacturing company.

While the Gilboy surname is relatively uncommon, it has a rich history and can be traced back to its Irish roots in the 17th century. The name's origins as a descriptive nickname for a fair-haired servant or attendant provide an interesting glimpse into the lives and occupations of those who bore this surname in earlier times.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gilboy families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gilboy 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. Yorkshire leads with 23 Gilboys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.03x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 23 4.03x
Northumberland 15 17.52x
Lancashire 10 1.46x
Durham 6 3.50x
Essex 4 3.52x
Surrey 1 0.36x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sutton Stoneferry in Yorkshire leads with 7 Gilboys recorded in 1881 and an index of 429.45x.

Place Total Index
Sutton Stoneferry 7 429.45x
Crook Billy Row 6 273.97x
Liverpool 6 14.46x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 6 117.42x
Bullers Green 5 8333.33x
Halifax 5 59.74x
Leeds 5 15.53x
Midgley 5 819.67x
Morpeth 4 396.04x
South Shoebury 4 869.57x
Blackburn 3 16.51x
Burnley 1 17.39x
Hoyland Nether 1 71.43x
Kingston On Thames 1 14.84x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Ellen 4
Elizabeth 3
Sarah 2
Annie 1
Bridget 1
Catharine 1
Cuscelia 1
Eleanor 1
Helen 1
Margaret 1
Maude 1
Minney 1
Rose 1
Winnifred 1

Top male names

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

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 Gilboy households.

FAQ

Gilboy surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gilboy surname in 1881?

In 1881, 59 people were recorded with the Gilboy surname. That placed it at #25,281 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gilboy surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 249 in 2016. That gives Gilboy a modern rank of #16,847.

What does the Gilboy surname mean?

An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Giollabuidhe, meaning 'servant of the yellow-haired lad'.

What does the Gilboy map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Gilboy 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.