NameCensus.

UK surname

Gillick

An Anglicized form of the Gaelic surname meaning "bright-headed" or "bright-headedness".

In the 1881 census there were 64 people recorded with the Gillick surname, ranking it #24,561 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 359, ranked #12,898, up from #24,561 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Law, Barnsley and Croydon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gillick is 371 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 460.9%.

1881 census count

64

Ranked #24,561

Modern count

359

2016, ranked #12,898

Peak year

2014

371 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gillick had 64 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,561 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 359 in 2016, ranked #12,898.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 85 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Gillick surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gillick surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gillick 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 26 #28,667
1861 historical 11 #32,452
1881 historical 64 #24,561
1891 historical 67 #28,424
1901 historical 85 #24,636
1911 historical 26 #30,547
1997 modern 302 #13,459
1998 modern 330 #13,046
1999 modern 330 #13,125
2000 modern 330 #13,066
2001 modern 314 #13,318
2002 modern 323 #13,325
2003 modern 334 #12,847
2004 modern 342 #12,645
2005 modern 329 #12,966
2006 modern 339 #12,754
2007 modern 345 #12,714
2008 modern 351 #12,661
2009 modern 365 #12,558
2010 modern 369 #12,726
2011 modern 351 #13,059
2012 modern 347 #13,048
2013 modern 366 #12,733
2014 modern 371 #12,689
2015 modern 364 #12,768
2016 modern 359 #12,898

Geography

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Where Gillicks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Law, Barnsley, Croydon, Tendring and Stafford. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Law South Lanarkshire
2 Barnsley 030 Barnsley
3 Croydon 036 Croydon
4 Tendring 018 Tendring
5 Stafford 003 Stafford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gillick

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gillick

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Gillick, 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 Gillick surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Gillick 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Gillick is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gillick 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

Gillick falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Gillick 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Gillick

The surname Gillick is believed to have originated in England, with its roots dating back to the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "gillic," which means "to deceive" or "to cheat." This suggests that the name may have initially been given as a nickname to someone known for their mischievous or cunning nature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gillick can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Gilloc." This historical document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, provides a comprehensive record of landowners and tenants across England at that time.

During the 13th century, the surname Gillick began appearing in various records and manuscripts, often with slight variations in spelling, such as "Gyllyck" and "Gillik." These variations were common in the Middle Ages due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions.

In the 14th century, the surname Gillick was associated with several notable individuals. One such person was John Gillick, a merchant from London who was granted a royal charter by King Edward III in 1347, allowing him to establish a trading company in the city.

The 16th century saw the rise of a prominent Gillick family in the county of Yorkshire. Sir Thomas Gillick, born in 1520, was a prominent landowner and served as a member of the English Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. His son, William Gillick (1560-1635), followed in his footsteps and became a respected figure in the local community.

In the 17th century, the name Gillick gained further recognition when Robert Gillick (1625-1703) became a renowned scholar and theologian. He authored several influential works on religion and philosophy, which were widely read and discussed in academic circles of the time.

Another notable figure bearing the surname Gillick was Elizabeth Gillick (1780-1856), a prominent activist and advocate for women's rights in the early 19th century. She played a key role in campaigning for the abolition of slavery and improving educational opportunities for women.

Over the centuries, the surname Gillick has been associated with various places and locations across England, such as Gillick Manor in Hertfordshire and Gillick Hill in Cumbria. These place names may have contributed to the geographic spread and variations of the surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gillick families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gillick 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 29 Gillicks recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.91x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 29 3.91x
Lanarkshire 22 10.90x
Middlesex 6 0.96x
Anglesey 2 18.08x
Hampshire 2 1.56x
Surrey 2 0.66x
Midlothian 1 1.20x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Old Monkland in Lanarkshire leads with 15 Gillicks recorded in 1881 and an index of 187.27x.

Place Total Index
Old Monkland 15 187.27x
West Derby 15 69.22x
Oldham 9 37.64x
Lesmahagow 4 186.92x
St George Hanover Square 4 36.36x
Glasgow 3 8.37x
Kirkdale 3 24.08x
Holyhead 2 97.09x
Islington London 2 3.31x
Alverstoke 1 21.60x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 17.01x
Edinburgh Tron Church 1 256.41x
Lambeth 1 1.84x
Send Ripley 1 250.00x
St Thomas Winchester 1 111.11x
Wigan 1 9.66x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Eliza 2
Allice 1
Anna 1
Bridget 1
Catharine 1
Catherine 1
Cathrine 1
E.W. 1
Elisabeth 1
Elizabeth 1
Ellen 1
Francis 1
Henrietta 1
Kate 1
Margaret 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 2
Laurence 2
Micheal 2
Cornelius 1
Earnest 1
Ellen 1
Frederick 1
Michael 1
Michl. 1
Mickael 1
Patrick 1
Peter 1
Robert 1
Thomas 1
Thos.A. 1
William 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Gillick households.

FAQ

Gillick surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gillick surname in 1881?

In 1881, 64 people were recorded with the Gillick surname. That placed it at #24,561 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gillick surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 359 in 2016. That gives Gillick a modern rank of #12,898.

What does the Gillick surname mean?

An Anglicized form of the Gaelic surname meaning "bright-headed" or "bright-headedness".

What does the Gillick map show?

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