NameCensus.

UK surname

Gillian

Derived from a Gaelic personal name meaning "servant of Saint John" or "youthful".

In the 1881 census there were 105 people recorded with the Gillian surname, ranking it #19,183 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 187, ranked #20,488, down from #19,183 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dorking, Alton and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Doncaster, Cannock Chase and Muirend and Old Cathcart.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gillian is 264 in 1997. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 78.1%.

1881 census count

105

Ranked #19,183

Modern count

187

2016, ranked #20,488

Peak year

1997

264 bearers

Map years

6

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gillian had 105 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,183 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 187 in 2016, ranked #20,488.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 159 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Gillian surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gillian surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gillian 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 80 #19,558
1861 historical 159 #14,553
1881 historical 105 #19,183
1891 historical 135 #19,692
1901 historical 74 #25,958
1911 historical 84 #24,442
1997 modern 264 #14,734
1998 modern 234 #16,404
1999 modern 234 #16,506
2000 modern 203 #18,043
2001 modern 155 #21,047
2002 modern 126 #24,393
2003 modern 124 #24,378
2004 modern 131 #23,756
2005 modern 136 #23,205
2006 modern 147 #22,221
2007 modern 163 #21,050
2008 modern 163 #21,238
2009 modern 175 #20,707
2010 modern 170 #21,560
2011 modern 186 #20,217
2012 modern 171 #21,303
2013 modern 187 #20,436
2014 modern 191 #20,302
2015 modern 186 #20,576
2016 modern 187 #20,488

Geography

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Where Gillians are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dorking, Alton, St Pancras, London parishes and Pontefract. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Doncaster, Cannock Chase, Muirend and Old Cathcart, Paisley Gallowhill and Hillington and Barnet. 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 Alton Hampshire
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 London parishes London 3
5 Pontefract Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Doncaster 010 Doncaster
2 Cannock Chase 003 Cannock Chase
3 Muirend and Old Cathcart Glasgow City
4 Paisley Gallowhill and Hillington Renfrewshire
5 Barnet 032 Barnet

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gillian

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gillian

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Gillian surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Gillian household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Gillian 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

Gillian is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gillian 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 Gillian is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Gillian

The surname Gillian originates from the Gaelic personal names Gille and Gillies, which mean "servant of" or "follower of." These names were commonly used in medieval Scotland and Ireland to refer to someone who was a servant or follower of a particular saint or church.

The earliest recorded use of the surname Gillian dates back to the 12th century in Scotland. It was often spelled as Gillemichel, Gillefalyn, or Gillecolm, which were derived from the Gaelic names Gille Mìcheil (servant of St. Michael), Gille Fhalain (servant of St. Fillan), and Gille Calum (servant of St. Columba).

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various medieval Scottish records, such as the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland and the Ragman Rolls, which recorded those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. Some notable early bearers of the name included Gillemor le Gilliselou (1296) and Gillemichel mac Nathiline (1296).

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the surname spread to other parts of Scotland and Ireland, with various spellings like Gillian, Gillion, and Gillyon. One of the earliest recorded instances of the Gillian spelling is found in the Bute Rentals of 1505, which mentions a person named John Gillian.

In the 16th century, the surname Gillian became more widespread in Scotland, particularly in the Highlands and Islands. One notable bearer of the name was John Gillian (c. 1565-1630), a Scottish minister who served as the Bishop of Dunblane.

Other historical figures with the surname Gillian include:

1. Alister Gillian (c. 1600-1670), a Scottish soldier who fought in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. 2. James Gillian (c. 1650-1720), a Scottish landowner and merchant from Ayrshire. 3. Elizabeth Gillian (c. 1680-1745), a Scottish poet and writer from Aberdeen. 4. William Gillian (c. 1720-1790), a Scottish architect who designed several notable buildings in Edinburgh. 5. Margaret Gillian (c. 1790-1860), a Scottish author and educator from Inverness.

The surname Gillian is also found in various place names across Scotland, such as Gillianfield in Ayrshire and Gilliantown in Fife, which may have been derived from individuals bearing the name who lived or owned land in those areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gillian families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gillian 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 14 Gillians recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.59x.

County Total Index
Durham 14 4.59x
Lanarkshire 14 4.23x
Middlesex 12 1.17x
Hampshire 11 5.24x
Surrey 11 2.20x
Yorkshire 10 0.99x
Cumberland 6 6.80x
Lancashire 5 0.41x
Sussex 5 2.90x
Roxburghshire 3 16.17x
Somerset 3 1.82x
Perthshire 2 4.35x
Stirlingshire 2 5.29x
Aberdeenshire 1 1.05x
Argyllshire 1 3.51x
Ayrshire 1 1.30x
East Lothian 1 7.37x
Lincolnshire 1 0.61x
Midlothian 1 0.73x
Northumberland 1 0.66x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Alton in Hampshire leads with 9 Gillians recorded in 1881 and an index of 569.62x.

Place Total Index
Alton 9 569.62x
Newington 9 23.78x
South Shields 8 295.20x
Leeds 7 12.21x
Islington London 6 6.04x
Maryhill 6 92.59x
Millom 6 222.22x
Brighton 5 14.35x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 5 37.88x
Toxteth Park 5 12.15x
Barony 4 4.77x
Govan 3 3.66x
Hawick 3 72.29x
Bromley London 2 8.88x
Goole 2 117.65x
Hardington Mandeville 2 909.09x
Portsea 2 4.86x
St George Hanover Square 2 11.08x
St Marylebone London 2 3.66x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 1 5.63x
Avondale 1 51.55x
Dalry 1 27.70x
Edinburgh Lady Yesters 1 105.26x
Elswick 1 8.22x
Errol 1 117.65x
Great Grimsby 1 9.62x
Haddington 1 50.00x
Kilmore Kilbride 1 55.25x
Kilsyth 1 41.49x
Kippax 1 112.36x
Lambeth 1 1.12x
Longforgan 1 153.85x
Othery 1 500.00x
Reigate Foreign 1 18.52x
Slamannan 1 48.31x
Stockley 1 256.41x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Ann 4
Elizabeth 4
Sarah 3
Caroline 2
Elisabeth 2
Margaret 2
Ada 1
Alice 1
Allis 1
Amelia 1
An 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Catherine 1
Ellen 1
Ellin 1
Emma 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Harriott 1
Margret 1
Rebecca 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 6
George 4
James 4
John 4
Charles 3
Thomas 3
Alxr. 1
Arthur 1
C... 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Joseph 1
Martin 1
Patrick 1
Phillip 1

FAQ

Gillian surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gillian surname in 1881?

In 1881, 105 people were recorded with the Gillian surname. That placed it at #19,183 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gillian surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 187 in 2016. That gives Gillian a modern rank of #20,488.

What does the Gillian surname mean?

Derived from a Gaelic personal name meaning "servant of Saint John" or "youthful".

What does the Gillian map show?

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