NameCensus.

UK surname

Gilliam

A surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Mac Gille Eáin," meaning "son of the servant of John."

In the 1881 census there were 290 people recorded with the Gilliam surname, ranking it #9,946 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 326, ranked #13,896, down from #9,946 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dorking, London parishes and Coker, East. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Waverley, Camden and Dudley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gilliam is 378 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 12.4%.

1881 census count

290

Ranked #9,946

Modern count

326

2016, ranked #13,896

Peak year

1998

378 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gilliam had 290 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,946 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 326 in 2016, ranked #13,896.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 356 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Gilliam surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gilliam surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gilliam 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 211 #9,997
1861 historical 169 #13,823
1881 historical 290 #9,946
1891 historical 287 #11,473
1901 historical 356 #10,305
1911 historical 303 #11,372
1997 modern 352 #12,117
1998 modern 378 #11,871
1999 modern 369 #12,147
2000 modern 351 #12,534
2001 modern 346 #12,478
2002 modern 369 #12,144
2003 modern 340 #12,685
2004 modern 353 #12,377
2005 modern 333 #12,847
2006 modern 335 #12,883
2007 modern 341 #12,840
2008 modern 340 #12,989
2009 modern 344 #13,138
2010 modern 342 #13,440
2011 modern 341 #13,341
2012 modern 344 #13,121
2013 modern 343 #13,372
2014 modern 333 #13,770
2015 modern 330 #13,774
2016 modern 326 #13,896

Geography

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Where Gilliams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dorking, London parishes, Coker, East, Blaby and Brighton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Waverley, Camden, Dudley, Isle of Wight and Rushmoor. 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 Dorking Surrey
2 London parishes London 3
3 Coker, East Somerset
4 Blaby Leicestershire
5 Brighton Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Waverley 003 Waverley
2 Camden 001 Camden
3 Dudley 020 Dudley
4 Isle of Wight 006 Isle of Wight
5 Rushmoor 011 Rushmoor

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gilliam

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gilliam

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Gilliam surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Gilliam household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

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Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Gilliam 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.

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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

Gilliam 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

Gilliam falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Gilliam is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Gilliam

The surname Gilliam is of English origin and dates back to the medieval era. It is derived from the personal name Giles, which in turn comes from the Greek name Aegidius, meaning "young goat." The Gilliam surname likely originated as a patronymic, meaning "son of Giles."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Gilliam can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name is listed as "Gilliam" and is believed to refer to landowners or tenants at the time.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various records with slightly different spellings, such as "Giliam," "Gillam," and "Gyllyam." These variations were common due to the inconsistencies in spelling during that period.

The Gilliam surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was William Gilliam, a merchant and alderman in the city of London who lived in the late 14th century.

In the 16th century, the Gilliam family established themselves as landowners in the county of Dorset. One prominent member was Robert Gilliam (c. 1532-1603), a wealthy landowner and member of the gentry.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, several Gilliams fought on both sides of the conflict. One notable figure was Captain John Gilliam (c. 1620-1684), a Royalist soldier who fought for King Charles I.

In the 18th century, the Gilliam family continued to be prominent in various parts of England. Benjamin Gilliam (1716-1794) was a successful merchant and landowner in the county of Gloucestershire.

The surname also found its way to the American colonies, where it was borne by several notable individuals. One of the most famous was Ezekiel Gilliam (1733-1784), a Virginia planter and military officer who served in the American Revolutionary War.

These are just a few examples of the many individuals who have borne the surname Gilliam throughout history. While the name may have originated from humble beginnings, it has been carried by people from various walks of life, including merchants, landowners, soldiers, and planters.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gilliam families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gilliam 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. Yorkshire leads with 54 Gilliams recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.92x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 54 1.92x
Surrey 49 3.54x
Middlesex 45 1.59x
Somerset 22 4.82x
Sussex 20 4.18x
Kent 16 1.65x
Worcestershire 16 4.32x
Herefordshire 15 12.89x
Lancashire 13 0.39x
Dorset 9 4.83x
Hampshire 6 1.03x
Shropshire 6 2.45x
Denbighshire 3 2.80x
Devon 3 0.51x
Northumberland 3 0.71x
Buckinghamshire 2 1.17x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.38x
Cheshire 1 0.16x
Durham 1 0.12x
Gloucestershire 1 0.18x
Monmouthshire 1 0.49x
Northamptonshire 1 0.37x
Royal Navy 1 2.96x
Staffordshire 1 0.10x
Warwickshire 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dorking in Surrey leads with 20 Gilliams recorded in 1881 and an index of 215.29x.

Place Total Index
Dorking 20 215.29x
Brighton 18 18.64x
East Coker 16 1600.00x
Witton 12 283.02x
Chapel Haddlesey 10 5882.35x
Hirst Courtney 10 9090.91x
St George Hanover 10 26.99x
Frensham 9 443.35x
Islington London 8 2.91x
St Pancras London 8 3.50x
Kingsland 7 679.61x
Chatham 6 22.52x
Ewhurst 6 689.66x
Saxton Cum 6 1714.29x
Sherborne 6 109.29x
Stottesdon 6 540.54x
Alton 5 114.16x
Hanley Castle 5 225.23x
Hardington Mandeville 5 806.45x
Headingley Cum Burley 5 27.61x
Hereford St Peter 5 160.77x
Micklefield 5 735.29x
Aylesford 4 149.25x
Bowling 4 14.36x
Clerkenwell London 4 5.97x
Evesham All Sts 4 231.21x
Farnham 4 37.21x
Nutfield 4 380.95x
Chapel Allerton 3 71.26x
Chetnole 3 1250.00x
Coxlodge 3 93.46x
Heston 3 31.81x
Isleworth 3 23.77x
Maidstone 3 10.40x
Reigate Borough 3 94.04x
Bromyard 2 130.72x
Burton 2 289.86x
Horton 2 238.10x
Kidderminster Foreign 2 38.17x
Lambeth 2 0.81x
Luttons Ambo 2 344.83x
Paddington London 2 1.92x
Paddlesworth 2 4000.00x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 4.39x
Shoreditch London 2 1.63x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 1 2.03x
Aston 1 0.51x
Blackford 1 714.29x
Brymbo 1 26.81x
Castleford 1 9.77x
Dodington 1 666.67x
East Keswick 1 232.56x
Eaton Bishop 1 227.27x
Eccleston 1 322.58x
Exeter St Sidwell 1 7.39x
Great Malvern 1 12.94x
Hoyland Nether 1 14.49x
Huddleston Cum Lumby 1 434.78x
Ince Blundell 1 196.08x
Kensington London 1 0.63x
Kimberworth 1 6.41x
Limehouse London 1 3.21x
Millbrook 1 6.83x
Mitcham 1 11.44x
Newport 1 10.21x
Northampton Priory St 1 6.24x
Pendock 1 434.78x
Pontefract 1 16.50x
Ribbesford 1 32.47x
Royal Navy 1 3.46x
South Milford 1 97.09x
St Marylebone London 1 0.66x
Subdeanery 1 27.55x
Thorganby Cum West 1 256.41x
Westminster St James 1 3.43x
Willesden 1 3.74x
Willington 1 20.49x
Wilton In Guisbrough 1 79.37x
Wolverhampton 1 1.36x
Woolwich 1 2.79x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 19
John 18
George 11
James 10
Thomas 9
Joseph 8
Charles 7
Alfred 6
Robert 6
Henry 5
Frederick 4
Richard 4
Edward 3
Samuel 3
Frank 2
Phillip 2
Walter 2
Agustus 1
Arthur 1
Birtie 1
C. 1
Charls. 1
Cornelius 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Edmd. 1
Egbert 1
Ellis 1
Fred 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Jabez 1
Jesse 1
Job 1
Leonard 1
Silvanus 1
Stephen 1
Timothy 1
Tom 1
Waltr. 1
Willian 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Gilliam surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gilliam surname in 1881?

In 1881, 290 people were recorded with the Gilliam surname. That placed it at #9,946 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gilliam surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 326 in 2016. That gives Gilliam a modern rank of #13,896.

What does the Gilliam surname mean?

A surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Mac Gille Eáin," meaning "son of the servant of John."

What does the Gilliam map show?

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