NameCensus.

UK surname

Gilkerson

An anglicized form of the Scots surname Gilderson meaning "son of a servant of the church".

In the 1881 census there were 72 people recorded with the Gilkerson surname, ranking it #23,371 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 94, ranked #31,871, down from #23,371 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bath and North East Somerset, North Tyneside and Portsmouth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gilkerson is 105 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 30.6%.

1881 census count

72

Ranked #23,371

Modern count

94

2016, ranked #31,871

Peak year

1999

105 bearers

Map years

1

1998 to 1998

Key insights

  • Gilkerson had 72 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,371 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 94 in 2016, ranked #31,871.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 88 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Gilkerson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gilkerson surname density by area, 1998 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gilkerson 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 43 #25,518
1861 historical 36 #29,463
1881 historical 72 #23,371
1891 historical 76 #27,290
1901 historical 74 #25,958
1911 historical 88 #24,041
1997 modern 96 #27,490
1998 modern 104 #26,981
1999 modern 105 #27,035
2000 modern 104 #27,150
2001 modern 98 #27,672
2002 modern 96 #28,534
2003 modern 95 #28,536
2004 modern 100 #27,964
2005 modern 94 #28,973
2006 modern 89 #30,027
2007 modern 94 #29,650
2008 modern 99 #29,181
2009 modern 98 #29,906
2010 modern 98 #30,540
2011 modern 92 #31,301
2012 modern 89 #31,934
2013 modern 93 #31,785
2014 modern 95 #31,792
2015 modern 98 #31,342
2016 modern 94 #31,871

Geography

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Where Gilkersons 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 Bath and North East Somerset, North Tyneside, Portsmouth and Isle of Wight. 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 Bath and North East Somerset 026 Bath and North East Somerset
2 North Tyneside 014 North Tyneside
3 Bath and North East Somerset 027 Bath and North East Somerset
4 Portsmouth 011 Portsmouth
5 Isle of Wight 012 Isle of Wight

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gilkerson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gilkerson

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Gilkerson, 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 Gilkerson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Gilkerson 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Gilkerson 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

Gilkerson 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

Gilkerson falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Gilkerson 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 Gilkerson, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Gilkerson

The surname Gilkerson is of English origin, originating in the northern counties of England during the medieval period. It is believed to derive from the Old English personal name Gylca, which was a diminutive form of the name Gilbert. The suffix "-son" was commonly added to form patronymic surnames, indicating "son of Gylca."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1273, where it appears as "Gilkerson." This suggests that the name was already established by the 13th century in that region of England. Variations in spelling during this time were common, with forms like "Gilkerson," "Gilkyrsone," and "Gilkyrson" also appearing in historical records.

The Gilkerson name can be traced back to the village of Gilkerson in Yorkshire, which was likely named after one of the early bearers of the surname. This connection to a specific place name further reinforces the English origins of the Gilkerson family.

One notable individual bearing this surname was John Gilkerson, a merchant who lived in the city of York during the 15th century. Records indicate that he was involved in the wool trade and held influential positions within the city's guilds.

In the 16th century, a Gilkerson family was recorded as landowners in the county of Northumberland. Thomas Gilkerson, born in 1530, was a respected landowner and farmer who passed his lands down to his descendants.

During the English Civil War of the 17th century, a Captain William Gilkerson fought on the Parliamentarian side. He is mentioned in accounts of the Battle of Marston Moor in 1644, where he distinguished himself in combat.

Another notable figure was Sir Robert Gilkerson, a wealthy merchant and philanthropist born in 1678 in the city of Bristol. He made significant contributions to the development of the city and funded the construction of several public buildings and charitable institutions.

As the Gilkerson family spread throughout England over the centuries, they maintained a presence in various regions, including Yorkshire, Northumberland, and the West Country. While not a particularly common surname, the Gilkerson name has a rich history deeply rooted in the English medieval era.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gilkerson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gilkerson 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. Berkshire leads with 23 Gilkersons recorded in 1881 and an index of 43.63x.

County Total Index
Berkshire 23 43.63x
Northamptonshire 16 24.22x
Kent 11 4.59x
Cumberland 7 11.58x
Lancashire 6 0.72x
Middlesex 5 0.71x
Leicestershire 4 5.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Reading St Giles in Berkshire leads with 17 Gilkersons recorded in 1881 and an index of 328.82x.

Place Total Index
Reading St Giles 17 328.82x
Deptford St Nicholas 10 526.32x
Weedon Beck 8 1702.13x
Northampton Priory St 7 176.77x
Bethnal Green London 5 16.39x
Liverpool 5 9.88x
Glen Parva 4 2222.22x
Ruscombe 4 4444.44x
Burgh By Sands 3 1500.00x
Caldewgate 1 30.21x
Hesket In Forest 1 212.77x
Newbury 1 59.17x
Northampton St Sepulchre 1 29.76x
Orpington 1 136.99x
Reading St Mary 1 23.70x
Salford 1 4.08x
St Mary Within 1 131.58x
Wigton 1 109.89x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 7
Ann 6
Elizabeth 6
Mary 6
Emma 3
Margaret 3
Isabella 2
Amilia 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Esther 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Martha 1
Nelly 1
Priscilla 1
Wamey 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 6
George 4
Thomas 3
Charles 2
David 2
William 2
Edward 1
Edwd. 1
Jas. 1
Richard 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1
Wm.John 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 Gilkerson households.

FAQ

Gilkerson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gilkerson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 72 people were recorded with the Gilkerson surname. That placed it at #23,371 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gilkerson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 94 in 2016. That gives Gilkerson a modern rank of #31,871.

What does the Gilkerson surname mean?

An anglicized form of the Scots surname Gilderson meaning "son of a servant of the church".

What does the Gilkerson map show?

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