NameCensus.

UK surname

Gilday

A surname derived from a Gaelic personal name meaning "servant of St. Filius".

In the 1881 census there were 132 people recorded with the Gilday surname, ranking it #16,744 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 225, ranked #18,105, down from #16,744 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Prestbury, Manchester and Glasgow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Springburn East and Cowlairs and Reigate and Banstead.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gilday is 238 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 70.5%.

1881 census count

132

Ranked #16,744

Modern count

225

2016, ranked #18,105

Peak year

1998

238 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gilday had 132 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,744 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 225 in 2016, ranked #18,105.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 145 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Gilday surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gilday surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gilday 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 55 #23,413
1861 historical 104 #20,477
1881 historical 132 #16,744
1891 historical 137 #19,501
1901 historical 145 #18,426
1911 historical 73 #25,541
1997 modern 236 #15,852
1998 modern 238 #16,218
1999 modern 220 #17,160
2000 modern 232 #16,562
2001 modern 219 #16,967
2002 modern 216 #17,447
2003 modern 206 #17,799
2004 modern 212 #17,540
2005 modern 215 #17,334
2006 modern 217 #17,349
2007 modern 218 #17,477
2008 modern 217 #17,693
2009 modern 230 #17,382
2010 modern 235 #17,477
2011 modern 227 #17,733
2012 modern 224 #17,786
2013 modern 224 #18,080
2014 modern 232 #17,761
2015 modern 230 #17,795
2016 modern 225 #18,105

Geography

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Where Gildays are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Prestbury, Manchester, Glasgow, Preston and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Springburn East and Cowlairs, Reigate and Banstead, Dunterlie, East Arthurlie and Dovecothall and Suffolk Coastal. 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 Prestbury Cheshire
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Glasgow Lanark
4 Preston Lancashire
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 040 County Durham
2 Springburn East and Cowlairs Glasgow City
3 Reigate and Banstead 012 Reigate and Banstead
4 Dunterlie, East Arthurlie and Dovecothall East Renfrewshire
5 Suffolk Coastal 004 Suffolk Coastal

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gilday

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gilday

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Gilday surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Gilday household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Gilday is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

These very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gilday is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gilday 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 Gilday is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Gilday

The surname Gilday is believed to have originated in Scotland, specifically in the region of Galloway. It is thought to be derived from the Gaelic words "gille" meaning servant or attendant, and "De" which was a common prefix used to indicate someone who came from a particular place.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Gilday can be found in the Scottish Ragman Rolls of 1296, where a person named Gilbert de Gillderry swore fealty to King Edward I of England. This suggests that the name may have initially been spelled as "Gillderry" or a similar variation.

In the 16th century, the name Gilday appeared in various Scottish records, including parish registers and local court documents. One notable mention is of a John Gilday who was involved in a land dispute in the town of Wigtown in 1537.

During the 17th century, the Gilday surname began to appear in other parts of Scotland, such as Aberdeenshire and Fife. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in this period is that of James Gilday, born in 1624 in the village of Cruden, Aberdeenshire.

In the 18th century, the name Gilday continued to be found in various Scottish records, particularly in the regions of Galloway and Aberdeenshire. One notable individual was Robert Gilday, a merchant from Kirkcudbright, who was involved in the trade of goods between Scotland and the American colonies in the 1760s.

As the centuries progressed, the Gilday surname spread across Scotland and into other parts of the United Kingdom, as well as to other countries through emigration. Some notable individuals with the Gilday surname include:

1. John Gilday (1806-1881), a Scottish poet and writer from Aberdeenshire. 2. William Gilday (1832-1901), a Scottish-born businessman and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, Canada. 3. James Gilday (1865-1942), a Scottish-born Australian politician who served as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly. 4. Thomas Gilday (1875-1959), a Scottish-born Canadian politician and businessman from Manitoba. 5. George Gilday (1901-1963), a Scottish-born Australian cricketer who played for New South Wales and the Australian national team.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gilday families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gilday 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. Lancashire leads with 28 Gildays recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.83x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 28 1.83x
Yorkshire 22 1.72x
Lanarkshire 18 4.32x
Dunbartonshire 16 46.24x
Warwickshire 16 4.93x
Durham 10 2.61x
Selkirkshire 10 85.84x
Renfrewshire 4 4.01x
Angus 3 2.52x
Surrey 3 0.48x
Norfolk 1 0.51x
Northumberland 1 0.52x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 16 Gildays recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.79x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 16 14.79x
Cardross 11 265.06x
Melrose 10 341.30x
Sheffield 10 24.62x
Oldham 8 16.22x
Preston 8 19.57x
Widnes 8 72.60x
Glasgow 7 9.47x
Gateshead 6 20.92x
Rutherglen 6 98.20x
Northowram 5 55.87x
Row 5 111.61x
Barony 4 3.80x
Haswell 4 145.45x
Renfrew 4 121.58x
Dundee 3 6.74x
Southwark St Olave 3 306.12x
York St Helen On Walls 3 1428.57x
Doncaster 2 21.46x
Liverpool 2 2.16x
Dewsbury 1 7.65x
Govan 1 0.97x
Hornsea 1 123.46x
Manchester 1 1.46x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 1 8.74x
Norwich St James 1 64.52x
Salford 1 2.23x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 13
Ann 6
Ellen 6
Catherine 3
Bridget 2
Kate 2
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Charlotte 1
Elizabeth 1
Jane 1
Julia 1
Rose 1
Sarah 1
Winaford 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Gilday surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gilday surname in 1881?

In 1881, 132 people were recorded with the Gilday surname. That placed it at #16,744 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gilday surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 225 in 2016. That gives Gilday a modern rank of #18,105.

What does the Gilday surname mean?

A surname derived from a Gaelic personal name meaning "servant of St. Filius".

What does the Gilday map show?

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