NameCensus.

UK surname

Gilland

A Scottish and Irish topographical surname referring to someone who lived near a ravine or narrow valley.

In the 1881 census there were 104 people recorded with the Gilland surname, ranking it #19,296 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 96, ranked #31,684, down from #19,296 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Compton, Nether and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Craigs South, West Lancashire and South Tyneside.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gilland is 236 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 7.7%.

1881 census count

104

Ranked #19,296

Modern count

96

2016, ranked #31,684

Peak year

1861

236 bearers

Map years

4

1851 to 1891

Key insights

  • Gilland had 104 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,296 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 96 in 2016, ranked #31,684.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 236 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Gilland surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gilland surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gilland 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 143 #13,343
1861 historical 236 #10,393
1881 historical 104 #19,296
1891 historical 121 #21,169
1901 historical 78 #25,500
1911 historical 95 #23,294
1997 modern 103 #26,498
1998 modern 92 #28,680
1999 modern 95 #28,465
2000 modern 98 #27,988
2001 modern 95 #28,101
2002 modern 105 #27,123
2003 modern 98 #28,046
2004 modern 98 #28,297
2005 modern 96 #28,671
2006 modern 93 #29,411
2007 modern 95 #29,493
2008 modern 97 #29,527
2009 modern 97 #30,076
2010 modern 100 #30,225
2011 modern 101 #29,938
2012 modern 96 #30,949
2013 modern 92 #31,909
2014 modern 93 #32,025
2015 modern 94 #31,872
2016 modern 96 #31,684

Geography

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Where Gillands are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Compton, Nether, Edinburgh, Manchester and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Craigs South, West Lancashire, South Tyneside, Mid Sussex and Knowsley. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Compton, Nether Dorset
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Craigs South City of Edinburgh
2 West Lancashire 010 West Lancashire
3 South Tyneside 008 South Tyneside
4 Mid Sussex 008 Mid Sussex
5 Knowsley 003 Knowsley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gilland

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gilland

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Gilland surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Gilland household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Gilland is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Gilland is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gilland falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Gilland

The surname Gilland has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "gil" meaning a ravine or a deep rocky valley, and "land" meaning land or territory. The name likely referred to someone who lived near a ravine or a valley.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1195, where a person named Robert de Gilelande is mentioned. The name appears to have been concentrated in the counties of Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, and Yorkshire during the medieval period.

In the 13th century, the name was also recorded in various spellings such as Gilland, Gylland, and Gylande. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 contain entries for individuals with the surname Gilland, including a William Gilland from Nottinghamshire.

The Gilland family held lands in the village of Gilland in Nottinghamshire, which may have contributed to the surname's origin and its association with that particular location. This place name is derived from the Old English words "gil" and "land" and is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086.

Notable individuals with the surname Gilland include:

1. Sir John Gilland (c. 1330 - 1399), an English knight and landowner in Lincolnshire. 2. Thomas Gilland (c. 1450 - 1520), a member of the Guild of Corpus Christi in York, known for his contributions to the city's religious life. 3. Elizabeth Gilland (c. 1570 - 1635), a wealthy landowner in Nottinghamshire who left a substantial inheritance to her descendants. 4. William Gilland (1620 - 1687), a merchant and ship owner from Hull, who traded with the Netherlands and Baltic regions. 5. Robert Gilland (1750 - 1820), a prominent farmer and landowner in Yorkshire, known for his innovations in agricultural practices.

As the centuries passed, the Gilland surname spread beyond its original geographic concentration, with bearers of the name found in various parts of England and eventually migrating to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gilland families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gilland 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. Middlesex leads with 30 Gillands recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.96x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 30 2.96x
Durham 17 5.63x
Renfrewshire 12 15.27x
Ayrshire 8 10.54x
Lanarkshire 6 1.83x
Midlothian 6 4.42x
Worcestershire 5 3.77x
Surrey 4 0.81x
Fife 3 5.00x
Kent 3 0.87x
Somerset 3 1.84x
Lancashire 2 0.17x
Warwickshire 2 0.78x
Berkshire 1 1.31x
Hertfordshire 1 1.43x
Lincolnshire 1 0.62x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Shoreditch London in Middlesex leads with 10 Gillands recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.74x.

Place Total Index
Shoreditch London 10 22.74x
Holmside 9 1216.22x
Westoe 8 46.76x
Abbey 7 58.38x
Hackney London 7 12.31x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 6 10.97x
Old Monkland 6 46.08x
Port Glasgow 5 131.58x
Ribbesford 5 454.55x
Dalmellington 4 179.37x
St George Bloomsbury 4 68.73x
Lambeth 3 3.39x
Yeovil 3 90.36x
Acton 2 33.61x
Birmingham 2 2.35x
Dreghorn 2 145.99x
Greenwich 2 12.38x
Kirkcaldy 2 67.11x
St Pancras London 2 2.45x
Ashwell 1 181.82x
Cholsey 1 166.67x
Dover St Mary Virgin 1 29.85x
Dunlop 1 212.77x
Gainsborough 1 26.18x
Kensington London 1 1.77x
Kilmarnock 1 11.07x
Kirkdale 1 4.94x
Monimail 1 344.83x
Salford 1 2.82x
St George Hanover Square 1 5.60x
St Luke London 1 6.15x
St Marylebone London 1 1.85x
Streatham 1 13.28x
Willesden 1 10.46x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 6
Mary 3
Eliza 2
Emma 2
Hannah 2
Jane 2
M. 2
Margaret 2
Minnie 2
Sarah 2
Ada 1
Alice 1
Amy 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
Edith 1
Fanny 1
Florance 1
Harriet 1
Isabel 1
Jessie 1
Louise 1
Marion 1
Rhoda 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 9
James 5
David 2
George 2
Robert 2
Charles 1
Clarence 1
Daniel 1
Frederick 1
Matthew 1
Percy 1
Sidney 1
Thomas 1
William 1
Wm. 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 Gilland households.

FAQ

Gilland surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gilland surname in 1881?

In 1881, 104 people were recorded with the Gilland surname. That placed it at #19,296 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gilland surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 96 in 2016. That gives Gilland a modern rank of #31,684.

What does the Gilland surname mean?

A Scottish and Irish topographical surname referring to someone who lived near a ravine or narrow valley.

What does the Gilland map show?

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