NameCensus.

UK surname

Gilchrist

A Scottish occupational surname denoting a servant or follower of Christ, derived from Gaelic "giolla Chríost."

In the 1881 census there were 4,446 people recorded with the Gilchrist surname, ranking it #1,010 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,446, ranked #1,230, down from #1,010 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Glasgow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Campbeltown, Paisley North and Rothesay Town.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gilchrist is 5,555 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 22.5%.

1881 census count

4,446

Ranked #1,010

Modern count

5,446

2016, ranked #1,230

Peak year

2010

5,555 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gilchrist had 4,446 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,010 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,446 in 2016, ranked #1,230.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,207 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Gilchrist surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gilchrist surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gilchrist 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 3,347 #861
1861 historical 3,463 #818
1881 historical 4,446 #1,010
1891 historical 4,618 #1,014
1901 historical 5,207 #1,078
1911 historical 1,450 #3,331
1997 modern 5,225 #1,248
1998 modern 5,422 #1,253
1999 modern 5,538 #1,236
2000 modern 5,530 #1,234
2001 modern 5,390 #1,237
2002 modern 5,459 #1,246
2003 modern 5,302 #1,253
2004 modern 5,310 #1,247
2005 modern 5,314 #1,231
2006 modern 5,283 #1,236
2007 modern 5,307 #1,236
2008 modern 5,368 #1,227
2009 modern 5,475 #1,237
2010 modern 5,555 #1,248
2011 modern 5,484 #1,247
2012 modern 5,334 #1,254
2013 modern 5,408 #1,260
2014 modern 5,464 #1,249
2015 modern 5,451 #1,233
2016 modern 5,446 #1,230

Geography

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Where Gilchrists are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Kilmarnock and Paisley Abbey. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Campbeltown, Paisley North, Rothesay Town, Thrashbush and Paisley South East. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Glasgow Lanark
4 Kilmarnock Ayr
5 Paisley Abbey Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Campbeltown Argyll and Bute
2 Paisley North Renfrewshire
3 Rothesay Town Argyll and Bute
4 Thrashbush North Lanarkshire
5 Paisley South East Renfrewshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gilchrist

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gilchrist

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Gilchrist surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Gilchrist household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Gilchrist is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gilchrist is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gilchrist 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 Gilchrist is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Gilchrist

The surname Gilchrist is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic words "gille" meaning "servant" and "Crìosd" meaning "Christ." It emerged in the 12th century as a personal name given to youths who served in monastic establishments or churches dedicated to Christ.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the late 12th century, with references to individuals like Gilcrist Makkarky in the Cartulary of Moray in 1171 and Gilcrist de Angreruyde in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a document recording Scottish landowners' pledge of allegiance to King Edward I of England.

The Gilchrist name appears in various historical records, including the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland and the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, indicating its widespread use throughout the country.

One notable bearer of the name was Gilchrist, Earl of Angus, who lived in the late 12th century and played a significant role in the struggle for the Scottish throne during the minority of King Alexander III.

Another prominent figure was Sir John Gilchrist (1370-1452), a Scottish nobleman and warrior who fought alongside King Robert III and King James I in the battles against the English during the Wars of Scottish Independence.

In the 16th century, Archibald Gilchrist (1550-1623) was a Scottish minister and schoolmaster who served as the rector of the grammar school in Dunfermline and played a vital role in the education of King James VI (later King James I of England).

The name Gilchrist has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Gilchristoun (now known as Gilchriston) in East Lothian and Gilchristland in Lanarkshire, further reflecting its historical presence in the country.

Over time, the name has evolved into various spellings, including Gilchrist, Gilcrist, Gilkrist, and Gilchriston, reflecting regional variations and phonetic adaptations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gilchrist families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gilchrist 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. Lanarkshire leads with 1,483 Gilchrists recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.71x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 1,483 10.71x
Midlothian 378 6.59x
Renfrewshire 263 7.92x
Lancashire 245 0.48x
Ayrshire 243 7.58x
Argyllshire 203 17.03x
Stirlingshire 180 11.40x
Northumberland 151 2.37x
Durham 137 1.08x
Yorkshire 106 0.25x
Middlesex 101 0.24x
Angus 73 1.84x
Aberdeenshire 69 1.74x
Dunbartonshire 67 5.82x
Peeblesshire 49 24.33x
Sutherland 41 12.45x
Buteshire 37 14.26x
Fife 36 1.42x
Kirkcudbrightshire 34 5.48x
Cheshire 27 0.29x
Dumfriesshire 27 2.85x
Perthshire 27 1.40x
Roxburghshire 27 3.48x
West Lothian 27 4.19x
Kent 23 0.16x
Caithness 22 3.75x
Clackmannanshire 22 6.22x
Essex 20 0.24x
Staffordshire 20 0.14x
Surrey 20 0.10x
Devon 19 0.21x
Lincolnshire 19 0.28x
Berwickshire 18 3.47x
Hampshire 18 0.21x
East Lothian 15 2.64x
Wigtownshire 13 2.29x
Morayshire 12 1.80x
Ross-shire 11 0.94x
Selkirkshire 9 2.32x
Banffshire 8 0.90x
Glamorgan 8 0.11x
Gloucestershire 8 0.10x
Cambridgeshire 7 0.26x
Cornwall 7 0.14x
Kincardineshire 7 1.34x
Brecknockshire 6 0.70x
Warwickshire 6 0.06x
Wiltshire 6 0.16x
Cumberland 4 0.11x
Dorset 4 0.14x
Inverness-shire 4 0.31x
Somerset 4 0.06x
Worcestershire 4 0.07x
Derbyshire 3 0.04x
Royal Navy 3 0.59x
Sussex 3 0.04x
Leicestershire 1 0.02x
Norfolk 1 0.02x
Northamptonshire 1 0.02x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.02x
Oxfordshire 1 0.04x
Westmorland 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 292 Gilchrists recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.33x.

Place Total Index
Barony 292 8.33x
Govan 264 7.71x
Glasgow 198 8.05x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 144 6.24x
Carluke 96 76.34x
Kilmarnock 77 20.19x
Old Monkland 75 13.65x
Lesmahagow 73 49.84x
Bothwell 62 16.51x
Campbeltown 58 40.33x
West Greenock 47 7.89x
Dundee 45 3.04x
Hamilton 45 11.65x
Shotts 41 24.74x
Dalserf 39 28.22x
Dalton In Furness 38 19.37x
Muirkirk 38 50.49x
New Monkland 37 9.04x
Abbey 36 7.11x
Kildalton 33 104.86x
Paisley High Church 33 12.49x
Paisley Middle Church 33 17.08x
Glassford 32 149.95x
Everton 31 1.91x
Rutherglen 30 14.76x
Lanark 29 26.02x
Denny 28 33.33x
Liverpool 28 0.91x
Strathblane 26 131.85x
Rothesay 25 19.90x
Falkirk 24 6.49x
Row 24 16.12x
Byker 23 7.30x
Toxteth Park 23 1.34x
Cambusnethan 22 7.15x
Slamannan 22 25.44x
South Leith 22 3.41x
Peebles 21 35.28x
St Ninians 21 13.41x
Borthwick 20 78.00x
East Kilbride 20 33.72x
Killean Kilchenzie 20 98.72x
Maryhill 20 7.38x
North Leith 20 7.53x
Berwick Upon Tweed 19 14.07x
Clyne 19 71.56x
Cathcart 18 10.02x
Gateshead 17 1.78x
Heworth 17 6.77x
Kirkintilloch 17 10.87x
Manchester 17 0.74x
West Ham 17 0.91x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 16 2.16x
Leeds 16 0.67x
Westoe 16 2.22x
Blantyre 15 10.40x
Inveresk 15 9.66x
Kilcalmonell 15 55.58x
Sanguhar 15 119.14x
Tweedmouth 15 18.88x
Alloa 14 8.16x
Avondale 14 17.29x
Bonhill 14 7.58x
Carsphairn 14 197.46x
Duddingston 14 12.16x
East Greenock 14 4.47x
Liff Benvie 14 2.32x
Sutton 14 8.22x
Carnwath 13 15.18x
Cluny 13 68.17x
Cockpen 13 19.39x
Houston Killallan 13 40.47x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 13 3.42x
Auchterless 12 38.11x
Bowmore 12 43.73x
Drypool 12 18.47x
Edinburgh Lady Yesters 12 30.20x
Longbenton 12 4.45x
Maybole 12 12.30x
Newbattle 12 24.47x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 71
Elizabeth 51
Jane 32
Margaret 32
Sarah 30
Isabella 19
Ann 13
Catherine 12
Ellen 9
Alice 8
Annie 8
Jessie 8
Agnes 7
Hannah 7
Eliza 6
Emily 6
Emma 6
Grace 6
Maria 6
Christina 5
Eleanor 5
Frances 5
Margt. 5
Charlotte 4
Clara 4
Florence 4
Harriet 4
Louisa 4
Martha 4
Ada 3
Anne 3
Edith 3
Elizth. 3
Esther 3
Janet 3
Rachel 3
Susan 3
Barbara 2
Betsey 2
Cathrine 2
E. 2
Ethel 2
Eva 2
Flora 2
Helen 2
Julia 2
Matilda 2
Rebecca 2
Rose 2
Sophia 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 74
William 62
James 51
Robert 36
George 32
Thomas 29
Edward 13
Charles 12
Joseph 11
Andrew 9
Henry 9
Arthur 7
Daniel 6
Richard 6
Frederick 5
Archibald 4
David 4
Geo. 4
Peter 4
Adam 3
Alexander 3
Donald 3
Ernest 3
Francis 3
Frank 3
Herbert 3
Hugh 3
Matthew 3
Robt. 3
Walter 3
Alexr. 2
Alfred 2
Anthony 2
Earnest 2
Fredrick 2
G. 2
Jas. 2
Jno. 2
Jonathan 2
Leonard 2
Patrick 2
Samuel 2
Stephen 2
Thos. 2
Chas. 1
Clarence 1
Edwin 1
Fredick 1
Fredk.Wm. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Gilchrist surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gilchrist surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,446 people were recorded with the Gilchrist surname. That placed it at #1,010 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gilchrist surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,446 in 2016. That gives Gilchrist a modern rank of #1,230.

What does the Gilchrist surname mean?

A Scottish occupational surname denoting a servant or follower of Christ, derived from Gaelic "giolla Chríost."

What does the Gilchrist map show?

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