NameCensus.

UK surname

Gillan

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "Gille Iain" meaning "servant of John".

In the 1881 census there were 1,054 people recorded with the Gillan surname, ranking it #3,738 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,481, ranked #2,660, up from #3,738 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Greenock West and Central, Braeside, Branchton, Lower Larkfield and Ravenscraig and Greenock Upper Central.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gillan is 2,497 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 135.4%.

1881 census count

1,054

Ranked #3,738

Modern count

2,481

2016, ranked #2,660

Peak year

2014

2,497 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gillan had 1,054 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,738 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,481 in 2016, ranked #2,660.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,394 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Gillan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gillan surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Gillan 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 461 #5,378
1861 historical 739 #3,698
1881 historical 1,054 #3,738
1891 historical 1,294 #3,342
1901 historical 1,394 #3,609
1911 historical 369 #9,867
1997 modern 2,223 #2,796
1998 modern 2,306 #2,800
1999 modern 2,316 #2,807
2000 modern 2,319 #2,784
2001 modern 2,237 #2,821
2002 modern 2,280 #2,831
2003 modern 2,255 #2,796
2004 modern 2,247 #2,808
2005 modern 2,286 #2,735
2006 modern 2,285 #2,734
2007 modern 2,350 #2,707
2008 modern 2,370 #2,701
2009 modern 2,397 #2,733
2010 modern 2,453 #2,739
2011 modern 2,428 #2,737
2012 modern 2,378 #2,732
2013 modern 2,435 #2,723
2014 modern 2,497 #2,685
2015 modern 2,478 #2,673
2016 modern 2,481 #2,660

Geography

Back to top

Where Gillans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Glasgow and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Greenock West and Central, Braeside, Branchton, Lower Larkfield and Ravenscraig, Greenock Upper Central, Douglas, Coalburn and Rigside and Greenock Town Centre and East Central. 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 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Greenock West and Central Inverclyde
2 Braeside, Branchton, Lower Larkfield and Ravenscraig Inverclyde
3 Greenock Upper Central Inverclyde
4 Douglas, Coalburn and Rigside South Lanarkshire
5 Greenock Town Centre and East Central Inverclyde

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Gillan

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Gillan

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Gillan, 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 Gillan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Gillan 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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Gillan is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Gillan 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

Gillan 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 Gillan is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Gillan

The surname Gillan has its origins in the Gaelic language and is believed to have originated in Scotland. It is derived from the personal name Gille-Anndra, which means "servant of Andrew" or "follower of St. Andrew." This name is a combination of the Gaelic words "gille," meaning servant or follower, and "Anndra," the Gaelic form of Andrew.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Gillan can be found in Scottish records dating back to the 12th century. It is believed that the name was initially concentrated in the areas of Argyll and the Western Isles, where Gaelic culture and language were prevalent.

In the 13th century, the name appears in the Ragman Rolls, a collection of homages and pledges of allegiance made to King Edward I of England. This document includes the names of several individuals with the surname Gillan or variations such as Gillandres and Gillandrys.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name Gillan was Sir John Gillan, a Scottish knight who lived in the 14th century. He was a prominent figure in the Wars of Scottish Independence and fought alongside William Wallace and Robert the Bruce.

Another notable individual with this surname was James Gillan (1556-1628), a Scottish Jesuit priest and writer. He was born in Ayrshire and is best known for his work "A Briefe Description of the Isles of Shetland," which provides valuable insights into the life and culture of the Shetland Islands during the 16th century.

In the 17th century, the name Gillan is also found in Ireland, particularly in County Donegal. This is likely due to the migration of Scottish settlers to Ulster during the Plantation of Ulster in the early 17th century.

One of the most famous bearers of the Gillan surname was Ian Gillan (born 1945), an English singer and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Deep Purple. Although not of Scottish descent, his surname reflects the spread of the name beyond its original Scottish roots.

Other notable individuals with the surname Gillan include Sir John Gillan (1824-1900), a Scottish businessman and politician who served as Lord Provost of Glasgow, and Reverend John Gillan (1898-1982), a Scottish minister and writer who authored several books on religious and historical topics.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Gillan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gillan 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 312 Gillans recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.39x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 312 9.39x
Aberdeenshire 106 11.14x
Renfrewshire 94 11.81x
Angus 62 6.52x
Lancashire 57 0.47x
Ayrshire 46 5.98x
Dunbartonshire 43 15.58x
Durham 42 1.37x
Middlesex 34 0.33x
Midlothian 29 2.11x
Yorkshire 28 0.28x
Morayshire 23 14.41x
East Lothian 19 13.96x
Argyllshire 13 4.55x
Selkirkshire 11 11.84x
Berwickshire 10 8.04x
Buteshire 10 16.07x
Hampshire 10 0.48x
Perthshire 10 2.17x
Roxburghshire 10 5.37x
Northumberland 9 0.59x
Banffshire 8 3.75x
West Lothian 8 5.17x
Cheshire 7 0.31x
Glamorgan 7 0.39x
Kent 6 0.17x
Warwickshire 6 0.23x
Gloucestershire 4 0.20x
Stirlingshire 4 1.06x
Westmorland 4 1.77x
Surrey 3 0.06x
Sussex 3 0.17x
Cornwall 2 0.17x
Cumberland 2 0.23x
Ross-shire 2 0.71x
Devon 1 0.05x
Essex 1 0.05x
Inverness-shire 1 0.33x
Kincardineshire 1 0.80x
Norfolk 1 0.06x
Northamptonshire 1 0.10x
Royal Navy 1 0.82x
Shetland 1 0.95x
Wigtownshire 1 0.73x

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 90 Gillans recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.70x.

Place Total Index
Barony 90 10.70x
Govan 80 9.74x
Glasgow 64 10.85x
Dundee 59 16.61x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 31 17.42x
Aberdeen Old Machar 30 15.10x
Abbey 24 19.76x
Dumbarton 17 44.25x
Liverpool 16 2.16x
St Quivox 16 61.56x
Cambusnethan 15 20.33x
East Greenock 14 18.62x
Newhills 14 71.87x
Port Glasgow 13 33.78x
Shettleston 13 43.71x
East Kilbride 11 77.30x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 11 1.99x
Lochwinnoch 11 92.75x
Melrose 11 47.03x
Dunbar 10 52.44x
Dunoon Kilmun 10 44.84x
Old Monkland 10 7.59x
Cumbernauld 9 59.48x
Everton 9 2.32x
Freshwater 9 93.56x
Gorbals 9 45.64x
Perth St Pauls 9 84.35x
Urquhart 9 119.36x
Beith 8 34.87x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 8 6.04x
Houston Killallan 8 103.90x
Lancaster 8 11.03x
New Kilpatrick 8 30.46x
Ayr 7 19.29x
Brandon Byshottles 7 18.29x
Cardiff St Mary 7 7.11x
Islington London 7 0.70x
Kilmaurs 7 53.52x
Middle Greenock 7 32.23x
Old Kilpatrick 7 21.46x
Blantyre 6 17.35x
Dunse 6 50.85x
Edinburgh St Stephens 6 22.15x
Elgin 6 19.32x
Forres 6 35.76x
Hamilton 6 6.48x
Heworth 6 9.96x
Hyde 6 8.97x
Kilbride 6 78.23x
Renfrew 6 22.82x
Salford 6 1.67x
Sprouston 6 166.21x
Stranton 6 5.83x
Westoe 6 3.46x
Wetherby 6 90.50x
Eastwood 5 10.20x
Halifax 5 3.35x
Holywell 5 63.61x
Humbie 5 155.76x
Kirkliston 5 55.43x
Ratho 5 77.88x
Bristol St George 4 4.29x
Bromley 4 7.49x
Clerkenwell London 4 1.65x
Coldstream 4 44.44x
Hartley 4 754.72x
Haslingden 4 7.93x
Manchester 4 0.73x
Muirkirk 4 22.16x
Oyne 4 118.34x
Shadforth 4 67.45x
St George Bloomsbury 4 6.79x
Turriff 4 26.06x
Tyrie 4 33.50x
Whitekirk Tynninghame 4 107.53x
Wilton 4 19.60x
Aston 3 0.42x
Linlithgow 3 15.12x
South Leith 3 1.94x
West Greenock 3 2.10x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

FAQ

Gillan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gillan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,054 people were recorded with the Gillan surname. That placed it at #3,738 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gillan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,481 in 2016. That gives Gillan a modern rank of #2,660.

What does the Gillan surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "Gille Iain" meaning "servant of John".

What does the Gillan map show?

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