NameCensus.

UK surname

Gilley

Derived from a French place name meaning "attendant" or "youth," likely referring to a young servant or page.

In the 1881 census there were 200 people recorded with the Gilley surname, ranking it #12,836 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 309, ranked #14,442, down from #12,836 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Tormoham with Torquay, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Neath Port Talbot, South Hams and Plymouth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gilley is 357 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 54.5%.

1881 census count

200

Ranked #12,836

Modern count

309

2016, ranked #14,442

Peak year

1891

357 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gilley had 200 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,836 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 309 in 2016, ranked #14,442.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 357 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Gilley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gilley surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gilley 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 200 #10,403
1861 historical 302 #8,393
1881 historical 200 #12,836
1891 historical 357 #9,678
1901 historical 277 #12,281
1911 historical 318 #10,988
1997 modern 295 #13,680
1998 modern 295 #14,029
1999 modern 300 #13,958
2000 modern 306 #13,742
2001 modern 302 #13,668
2002 modern 299 #14,017
2003 modern 296 #13,944
2004 modern 295 #14,025
2005 modern 293 #14,030
2006 modern 315 #13,440
2007 modern 320 #13,442
2008 modern 316 #13,661
2009 modern 316 #13,933
2010 modern 332 #13,745
2011 modern 327 #13,754
2012 modern 322 #13,799
2013 modern 312 #14,332
2014 modern 322 #14,113
2015 modern 319 #14,118
2016 modern 309 #14,442

Geography

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Where Gilleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Tormoham with Torquay, London parishes, Gateshead, Modbury, Bigbury, Ermington, Kingston and St Leonard Bromley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Neath Port Talbot, South Hams, Plymouth, County Durham and Tower Hamlets. 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 Tormoham with Torquay Devon
2 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Modbury, Bigbury, Ermington, Kingston Devon
5 St Leonard Bromley London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Neath Port Talbot 002 Neath Port Talbot
2 South Hams 005 South Hams
3 Plymouth 021 Plymouth
4 County Durham 017 County Durham
5 Tower Hamlets 008 Tower Hamlets

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gilley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gilley

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Gilley is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gilley 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

Gilley 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 Gilley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Gilley

The surname Gilley is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "gil," meaning a ravine or deep valley. This suggests that the name was likely borne by someone who lived near or worked in a steep-sided valley or ravine.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Gilley can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which lists a Walter Gilley from Oxfordshire. The Hundred Rolls were administrative records compiled in England during the reign of King Edward I.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various spellings such as Gillie, Gilly, and Gylle. These variations reflect the fluid nature of spelling during that time period before standardization became more widespread.

A notable bearer of the Gilley surname was Sir John Gilley, a prominent English merchant and alderman who lived in the 15th century. He was a member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers and served as the Sheriff of London in 1433.

The surname Gilley is also linked to several place names in England, such as Gilley Green in Hertfordshire and Gilley Field in Buckinghamshire. These place names likely originated from the Old English word "gil," further reinforcing the connection between the surname and its geographic origins.

Another historical figure with the Gilley surname was Thomas Gilley, born in 1568 in Lincolnshire, England. He was a renowned theologian and academic who served as the Regius Professor of Divinity at the University of Cambridge from 1628 until his death in 1636.

In the 17th century, the Gilley surname appeared in various parish records and documents across England, indicating its widespread distribution throughout the country. One such record includes the baptism of William Gilley in 1642 in the parish of St. Mary's in Taunton, Somerset.

As the centuries progressed, the Gilley surname continued to be found in various regions of England, with families bearing the name contributing to the rich tapestry of English history and society.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gilley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gilley 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. Durham leads with 51 Gilleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.03x.

County Total Index
Durham 51 8.03x
Devon 40 9.00x
Middlesex 26 1.22x
Hampshire 18 4.11x
Channel Islands 16 25.28x
Yorkshire 16 0.76x
Surrey 11 1.06x
Northamptonshire 6 2.99x
Staffordshire 6 0.83x
Cornwall 4 1.65x
Lancashire 4 0.16x
Bedfordshire 3 2.71x
Cambridgeshire 3 2.22x
Cheshire 3 0.64x
Royal Navy 2 7.86x
Somerset 2 0.58x
Caernarfonshire 1 1.16x
Derbyshire 1 0.30x
Essex 1 0.24x
Gloucestershire 1 0.24x
Hertfordshire 1 0.68x
Isle of Man 1 2.52x
Kent 1 0.14x
Sussex 1 0.28x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Southwick in Durham leads with 18 Gilleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 299.00x.

Place Total Index
Southwick 18 299.00x
Ecclesall Bierlow 16 37.16x
Millbrook 15 135.99x
Tunstall 12 379.75x
Bromley London 11 23.40x
East Stonehouse 10 114.16x
Washington 9 338.35x
Bovey Tracey 8 512.82x
Ermington 8 493.83x
St Saviour 8 228.57x
Tormoham 8 42.53x
Battersea 6 7.63x
Shoreditch London 6 6.48x
Tanfield 6 79.37x
Yardley Hastings 6 697.67x
Newington 5 6.34x
St Helier 5 24.26x
Tipton 5 22.64x
Hartlepool 4 44.30x
Newlyn 4 388.35x
St Pancras London 4 2.33x
Bedford St Peter 3 104.53x
St Peter 3 163.93x
Balsham 2 270.27x
Everton 2 2.48x
Liverpool 2 1.30x
Royal Navy 2 9.19x
Southampton St Mary 2 7.26x
Stockport 2 8.24x
Whitechapel London 2 9.50x
Wolborough 2 35.59x
Bethnal Green London 1 1.08x
Birkenhead 1 2.66x
Chesterfield 1 7.97x
Clevedon 1 27.93x
Dawlish 1 30.12x
East Budleigh 1 47.85x
East Ham 1 12.77x
Eglwys Rhos 1 91.74x
Exeter Allhallows On The 1 136.99x
Fordham 1 114.94x
Greenwich 1 2.94x
Hastings St Mary In The 1 13.02x
Lonan 1 41.67x
Lyncombe Widcombe 1 11.11x
Modbury 1 87.72x
Newent 1 46.95x
South Shields 1 17.67x
St Giles In Fields London 1 9.54x
St Marylebone London 1 0.88x
Stockton On Tees 1 3.26x
Ventnor 1 24.04x
Watford 1 8.76x
Wolverhampton 1 1.80x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 11
Ellen 6
Mary 6
Maria 5
Annie 4
Grace 4
Isabella 4
Sarah 4
Eliza 3
Jane 3
Margaret 3
Sophia 3
Ann 2
Edith 2
Emily 2
Emma 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Amelia 1
Bessie 1
Blanche 1
Cathrine 1
Elen 1
Eliz. 1
Elizth 1
Elizth. 1
Esther 1
Euphemia 1
Frances 1
Georgiana 1
Gertrude 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Jessie 1
Jone 1
Julia 1
Leana 1
Lilly 1
Lizzie 1
Louisa 1
Mabel 1
Maggie 1
Margerat 1
Marian 1
Maud 1
Phoebe 1
Pollie 1
Rachel 1
Roviner 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 17
John 16
George 10
Thomas 8
James 7
Henry 6
Robert 5
Samuel 5
Edwin 3
Ernest 3
Ralph 3
Richard 3
Arthur 2
Charles 2
Fred 2
Frederick 2
Tom 2
Walter 2
Albert 1
Amos 1
Andrew 1
Charley 1
Christopher 1
Edmund 1
Frank 1
Jonas 1
Michael 1
Peter 1
Segemen 1
Stanley 1
Stephen 1
Tabez 1
W. 1
Wiliam 1

FAQ

Gilley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gilley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 200 people were recorded with the Gilley surname. That placed it at #12,836 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gilley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 309 in 2016. That gives Gilley a modern rank of #14,442.

What does the Gilley surname mean?

Derived from a French place name meaning "attendant" or "youth," likely referring to a young servant or page.

What does the Gilley map show?

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