NameCensus.

UK surname

Gilliard

A French toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "small village" or "estate of Gilles."

In the 1881 census there were 146 people recorded with the Gilliard surname, ranking it #15,752 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 164, ranked #22,314, down from #15,752 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sutton and Stoneferry, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and Beath. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Nitshill, Powys and Leeds.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gilliard is 190 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 12.3%.

1881 census count

146

Ranked #15,752

Modern count

164

2016, ranked #22,314

Peak year

1998

190 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gilliard had 146 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,752 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 164 in 2016, ranked #22,314.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 187 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Gilliard surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gilliard surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gilliard 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 92 #18,050
1861 historical 90 #22,312
1881 historical 146 #15,752
1891 historical 122 #21,053
1901 historical 187 #15,793
1911 historical 145 #18,255
1997 modern 188 #18,324
1998 modern 190 #18,687
1999 modern 190 #18,797
2000 modern 184 #19,190
2001 modern 176 #19,415
2002 modern 177 #19,759
2003 modern 168 #20,171
2004 modern 168 #20,300
2005 modern 170 #20,066
2006 modern 167 #20,447
2007 modern 169 #20,562
2008 modern 170 #20,672
2009 modern 169 #21,190
2010 modern 176 #21,101
2011 modern 163 #21,983
2012 modern 172 #21,219
2013 modern 174 #21,401
2014 modern 171 #21,812
2015 modern 168 #21,971
2016 modern 164 #22,314

Geography

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Where Gilliards are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sutton and Stoneferry, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Beath, London parishes and Maidstone, Linton, Loddington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Nitshill, Powys, Leeds, Blackpool and Braintree. 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 Sutton and Stoneferry Yorkshire, East Riding
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 Beath Fife
4 London parishes London 3
5 Maidstone, Linton, Loddington Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Nitshill Glasgow City
2 Powys 002 Powys
3 Leeds 097 Leeds
4 Blackpool 009 Blackpool
5 Braintree 004 Braintree

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gilliard

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gilliard

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Gilliard surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Gilliard household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Gilliard 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

Gilliard is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gilliard falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Gilliard

The surname Gilliard originated in France and is derived from the medieval French given name Gillard or Giliard. These names stem from the Old German word "Gisilhard," which means "brave with the spear." The earliest recorded examples of the Gilliard surname date back to the 12th century in Normandy, France.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Gilliard name was Renaud Gilliard, a Norman knight who fought in the Crusades during the late 12th century. The name also appeared in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land and property ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror.

During the Middle Ages, the Gilliard surname was prominent in the regions of Normandy and Brittany in northern France. The name was often associated with nobility and landowners, with many Gilliard families holding fiefs and estates in these areas.

In the 14th century, a branch of the Gilliard family settled in the French province of Anjou. Jean Gilliard (1325-1392) was a notable figure from this lineage, serving as a magistrate and legal advisor to the Count of Anjou.

Another prominent individual bearing the Gilliard name was Pierre Gilliard (1679-1748), a French philosopher and theologian who wrote extensively on the concept of natural law and its relationship with divine revelation.

As the centuries progressed, the Gilliard surname spread across France and into other parts of Europe. One notable example is Georg Gilliard (1822-1901), a Swiss-born artist and painter who became renowned for his landscape paintings of the Swiss Alps.

In the 19th century, the Gilliard name gained recognition in military circles. Émile Gilliard (1841-1915) was a French general who served with distinction in the Franco-Prussian War and later became a renowned military strategist and writer.

Overall, the Gilliard surname has a rich history rooted in medieval France, with various branches of the family achieving prominence in various fields throughout the centuries. The name's origins can be traced back to the Old German word "Gisilhard," reflecting its association with bravery and valor.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gilliard families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gilliard 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. Kent leads with 27 Gilliards recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.56x.

County Total Index
Kent 27 5.56x
Yorkshire 26 1.84x
Middlesex 25 1.76x
Lancashire 13 0.77x
Gloucestershire 12 4.30x
Fife 8 9.49x
Devon 7 2.36x
Monmouthshire 5 4.86x
Sussex 5 2.08x
Somerset 4 1.74x
Cumberland 2 1.63x
Hampshire 2 0.69x
Staffordshire 2 0.42x
Surrey 2 0.29x
Channel Islands 1 2.37x
Cheshire 1 0.32x
Cornwall 1 0.62x
Leicestershire 1 0.63x
Norfolk 1 0.46x
Royal Navy 1 5.89x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Maidstone in Kent leads with 19 Gilliards recorded in 1881 and an index of 131.31x.

Place Total Index
Maidstone 19 131.31x
Bristol St George 9 69.66x
Sutton 9 559.01x
Ballingry 8 1538.46x
Liverpool 8 7.79x
Exeter St Mary Major 7 391.06x
St Pancras London 7 6.11x
Chelsea London 6 13.98x
St George Hanover Square 6 23.91x
Ardwick 5 32.81x
East Grinstead 5 147.06x
Newport 5 101.83x
Closworth 4 6666.67x
Friern Barnet 3 95.54x
Leeds 3 3.76x
Selby 3 101.69x
Alrewas 2 425.53x
Bristol St Peter 2 200.00x
Burham 2 298.51x
Chatham 2 14.96x
Clifton In York 2 67.80x
Drypool 2 92.59x
Flimby 2 192.31x
Islington London 2 1.45x
Snodland 2 144.93x
York St Lawrence 2 136.05x
Beckenham 1 15.75x
Birkenhead 1 3.99x
Brading 1 25.77x
Brandesburton 1 270.27x
Clifton 1 7.08x
Enfield 1 10.71x
Holy Trinity 1 2.95x
Lambeth 1 0.81x
Leicester St Mary 1 7.84x
Middlesbrough 1 5.44x
Newington 1 1.90x
Norwich St Mary In Marsh 1 400.00x
Portsea 1 1.75x
Royal Navy 1 6.89x
Sittingbourne 1 26.04x
Southcoates 1 12.77x
St Columb Minor 1 74.07x
St Peter Port 1 12.80x
Templenewsam Thorpe 1 344.83x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 7
Jane 6
Mary 6
Sarah 6
Ann 5
Annie 3
Anne 2
Bessie 2
Charlotte 2
Emily 2
Jessie 2
Lucy 2
Susannah 2
Amelia 1
Bertha 1
Clara 1
Eliza 1
Elizah 1
Ellen 1
Ellenor 1
Emma 1
Faith 1
Florence 1
Grace 1
Harriet 1
Henrietta 1
Isabella 1
Matilda 1
Minnie 1
Phillis 1
Renne 1
Rose 1
Selina 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 13
John 12
George 6
Robert 4
Walter 4
Alfred 3
James 3
Edward 2
Frederick 2
Henry 2
Thomas 2
Alexander 1
Arthur 1
Charles 1
Chas.Frederick 1
Digthon 1
Edgar 1
Emanuel 1
Eustace 1
Fancis 1
Harry 1
Jesse 1
Matthew 1
Percy 1
Philip 1
Samuel 1
Stephen 1
Sydney 1

FAQ

Gilliard surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gilliard surname in 1881?

In 1881, 146 people were recorded with the Gilliard surname. That placed it at #15,752 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gilliard surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 164 in 2016. That gives Gilliard a modern rank of #22,314.

What does the Gilliard surname mean?

A French toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "small village" or "estate of Gilles."

What does the Gilliard map show?

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