NameCensus.

UK surname

Gillen

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Giolla Fhiontáin," meaning "son of the servant of Saint Fintan."

In the 1881 census there were 214 people recorded with the Gillen surname, ranking it #12,284 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,123, ranked #5,248, up from #12,284 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Gateshead and Long Benton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hillhead, Braeside, Branchton, Lower Larkfield and Ravenscraig and Greenock Town Centre and East Central.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gillen is 1,125 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 424.8%.

1881 census count

214

Ranked #12,284

Modern count

1,123

2016, ranked #5,248

Peak year

2014

1,125 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gillen had 214 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,284 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,123 in 2016, ranked #5,248.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 282 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Gillen surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gillen surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gillen 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 144 #13,277
1861 historical 241 #10,192
1881 historical 214 #12,284
1891 historical 250 #12,762
1901 historical 282 #12,145
1911 historical 138 #18,811
1997 modern 950 #5,722
1998 modern 1,001 #5,672
1999 modern 991 #5,754
2000 modern 1,008 #5,655
2001 modern 974 #5,696
2002 modern 1,007 #5,657
2003 modern 993 #5,623
2004 modern 972 #5,731
2005 modern 985 #5,616
2006 modern 1,007 #5,535
2007 modern 1,014 #5,544
2008 modern 1,042 #5,459
2009 modern 1,060 #5,504
2010 modern 1,075 #5,542
2011 modern 1,095 #5,392
2012 modern 1,081 #5,366
2013 modern 1,112 #5,322
2014 modern 1,125 #5,303
2015 modern 1,116 #5,293
2016 modern 1,123 #5,248

Geography

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Where Gillens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Gateshead, Long Benton, Greenock and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hillhead, Braeside, Branchton, Lower Larkfield and Ravenscraig, Greenock Town Centre and East Central, Greenock West and Central and Carlisle. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Long Benton Northumberland
4 Greenock Renfrew
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hillhead Glasgow City
2 Braeside, Branchton, Lower Larkfield and Ravenscraig Inverclyde
3 Greenock Town Centre and East Central Inverclyde
4 Greenock West and Central Inverclyde
5 Carlisle 012 Carlisle

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gillen

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gillen

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Gillen, 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 Gillen surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Gillen 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Gillen 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

Gillen is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gillen falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Gillen 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Gillen

The surname Gillen is of Irish origin and is believed to have first emerged in County Galway during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name "Gilla-nan," which translates to "servant of God." This name was commonly used as a prefix combined with various other elements, such as "Gilla-na-naomh" meaning "servant of the saints."

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Gillen can be traced back to medieval Irish records and manuscripts, including the Annals of the Four Masters, a compilation of chronicles and genealogies from the 12th to the 17th century. These annals mention various individuals bearing the name Gillen or its variants, such as Gilla-na-naomh, Gillananeev, and Gillenneev.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Gilla-na-naomh Ó Conchobhair, a prominent Irish poet and historian who lived in the 14th century. He was renowned for his works on Irish history and genealogy, and his writings have provided valuable insights into the cultural and literary traditions of medieval Ireland.

In the 16th century, the name Gillen appeared in the Fiants of Elizabeth I, which were records of royal letters patent and grants issued during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. These records mention individuals with the surname Gillen who were granted lands or privileges by the English Crown in Ireland.

Another notable historical figure bearing the name Gillen was Thomas Gillen (1857-1931), an Irish Catholic priest and author from County Galway. He wrote several books on Irish history, folklore, and literature, and was instrumental in preserving and promoting the cultural heritage of his native region.

Other notable individuals with the surname Gillen include John Gillen (1819-1898), an Irish politician and Member of Parliament for County Louth, and Joseph Gillen (1913-1992), an American artist and painter known for his landscape and seascape paintings.

The surname Gillen has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Gillencourse and Gillenlacken, which may have derived their names from individuals or families bearing the surname Gillen who lived in or owned those areas.

While the surname Gillen is predominantly of Irish origin, it has also been found in other parts of the world, likely due to Irish immigration and diaspora. However, its historical roots can be firmly traced back to the Gaelic-speaking regions of Ireland, where it has been recorded for several centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gillen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gillen 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 52 Gillens recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.09x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 52 2.09x
Lanarkshire 39 5.75x
Middlesex 23 1.10x
Surrey 17 1.66x
Aberdeenshire 14 7.21x
Northumberland 11 3.53x
Yorkshire 11 0.53x
Durham 9 1.44x
Angus 6 3.09x
Hampshire 6 1.40x
Somerset 6 1.78x
West Lothian 6 19.00x
Sussex 4 1.13x
Renfrewshire 2 1.23x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.79x
Denbighshire 1 1.26x
Gloucestershire 1 0.24x
Kent 1 0.14x
Kincardineshire 1 3.92x
Lincolnshire 1 0.30x
Royal Navy 1 4.00x
Suffolk 1 0.39x
Wiltshire 1 0.54x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 19 Gillens recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.57x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 19 12.57x
Barony 12 6.99x
St Marylebone London 11 9.82x
Glasgow 10 8.30x
Govan 10 5.96x
Longbenton 8 60.51x
Egham 7 111.64x
Manchester 7 6.25x
Dundee 6 8.27x
Newington 6 7.74x
Salford 6 8.20x
Walcot 6 33.37x
Bathgate 5 72.89x
Bothwell 5 27.19x
Halewood 5 375.94x
Holybourne 5 1190.48x
Leeds 5 4.26x
Parr 5 56.18x
Barrow In Furness 4 11.82x
Everton 4 5.04x
Limehouse London 4 17.38x
Stockton On Tees 4 13.30x
Aberdeen Old Machar 3 7.40x
Bethnal Green London 3 3.29x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 3 11.10x
Islington London 3 1.48x
Lonmay 3 170.45x
Morley 3 27.75x
Subdeanery 3 111.94x
Tough 3 612.24x
Fraserburgh 2 36.56x
Holy Trinity 2 4.00x
Rutherglen 2 20.10x
Wandsworth 2 9.91x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 1 2.75x
Botley 1 129.87x
Brighton 1 1.40x
Bristol St James St Paul 1 7.29x
Chippenham 1 25.71x
Cornsay 1 59.52x
East Greenock 1 6.51x
Flixton 1 78.74x
Frindsbury 1 37.04x
Great Grimsby 1 4.70x
Hexham 1 20.70x
Houghton Le Spring 1 23.20x
Kirkliston 1 54.35x
Nayland 1 153.85x
Nigg 1 47.39x
Normanby In 1 17.99x
North Shields 1 16.05x
Paddington London 1 1.30x
Paisley High Church 1 7.73x
Peterhead 1 9.74x
Rathen 1 49.02x
Rotherhithe 1 3.86x
Royal Navy 1 4.68x
St Pancras London 1 0.59x
Stansty 1 114.94x
Wardleworth 1 7.03x
Warkworth 1 200.00x
Weybridge 1 45.66x
Wycombe 1 10.58x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Catherine 5
Ellen 5
Alice 4
Ann 4
Bridget 4
Annie 3
Elizabeth 3
Margaret 3
Sarah 3
Eliza 2
Emma 2
Jane 2
Amey 1
Amy 1
Blanche 1
Cathrine 1
Eva 1
Georgina 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Janet 1
Johanna 1
Kate 1
Katerine 1
Katherine 1
Maria 1
Marion 1
Rebecca 1
Rose 1
Sophia 1
Teresa 1
Treser 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Gillen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gillen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 214 people were recorded with the Gillen surname. That placed it at #12,284 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gillen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,123 in 2016. That gives Gillen a modern rank of #5,248.

What does the Gillen surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Giolla Fhiontáin," meaning "son of the servant of Saint Fintan."

What does the Gillen map show?

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