NameCensus.

UK surname

Gillion

A surname derived from the Norman French personal name Gillon, a diminutive of Guillaume (William).

In the 1881 census there were 49 people recorded with the Gillion surname, ranking it #26,735 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 132, ranked #25,882, up from #26,735 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lichfield, Kensington and Chelsea and Walsall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gillion is 138 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 169.4%.

1881 census count

49

Ranked #26,735

Modern count

132

2016, ranked #25,882

Peak year

2013

138 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gillion had 49 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,735 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 132 in 2016, ranked #25,882.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 95 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Gillion surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gillion surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gillion 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 91 #18,187
1861 historical 95 #21,768
1881 historical 49 #26,735
1891 historical 61 #29,103
1901 historical 48 #28,808
1911 historical 40 #28,913
1997 modern 122 #23,917
1998 modern 127 #23,940
1999 modern 126 #24,239
2000 modern 137 #23,048
2001 modern 129 #23,557
2002 modern 136 #23,296
2003 modern 129 #23,783
2004 modern 131 #23,756
2005 modern 125 #24,398
2006 modern 131 #23,942
2007 modern 129 #24,503
2008 modern 133 #24,350
2009 modern 137 #24,371
2010 modern 135 #25,127
2011 modern 130 #25,547
2012 modern 131 #25,439
2013 modern 138 #25,020
2014 modern 138 #25,218
2015 modern 135 #25,481
2016 modern 132 #25,882

Geography

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Where Gillions 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 Lichfield, Kensington and Chelsea and Walsall. 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 Lichfield 006 Lichfield
2 Kensington and Chelsea 012 Kensington and Chelsea
3 Walsall 002 Walsall
4 Lichfield 009 Lichfield
5 Kensington and Chelsea 020 Kensington and Chelsea

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gillion

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gillion

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

European Enclaves

Within London, Gillion is most associated with areas classed as European Enclaves, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

Many residents of these accessible neighbourhoods have wide-ranging non-UK European origins. Typically residing in privately rented flats, many residents live alone and are beyond normal retirement age. There are more students than elsewhere in the Supergroup, some of which live in communal establishments. Household residents are often drawn from different ethnic groups.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gillion 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

Gillion falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Gillion

The surname Gillion originated in France during the medieval period, with its roots tracing back to the Latin word "Aegidius," meaning "young goat." This name was particularly prevalent in the northern regions of France, such as Normandy and Picardy.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gillion can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive land survey commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a landowner named Gillon, indicating the surname's presence in England during the Norman conquest.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Gillion underwent various spelling variations, including Gillion, Gyllon, and Gillyon, reflecting the fluidity of written language during that era. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and scribal errors.

The name Gillion can be associated with several notable historical figures. One such figure was Gillon de Trazegnies, a 13th-century knight who participated in the Sixth Crusade and was renowned for his bravery in battle. Another was Gilles de Gillion, a 14th-century French nobleman who served as a military commander and diplomat during the Hundred Years' War.

In England, the name Gillion gained recognition through the exploits of Sir John Gillion, a 15th-century nobleman and military leader who fought in the Wars of the Roses. His bravery and loyalty to the House of York earned him a prominent place in English history.

Another noteworthy bearer of the name was Jacques Gillion, a 16th-century French explorer and navigator who accompanied Jacques Cartier on his voyages to Canada. His contributions to the exploration and mapping of the Gulf of St. Lawrence were significant.

The Gillion surname can also be traced to various place names in France, such as Gillionville and Gillionville-sur-Avre, which might have influenced the adoption of the name by individuals residing in or originating from those locations.

Throughout the centuries, the Gillion family has left its mark across various spheres, from military and exploration to nobility and governance, contributing to the rich tapestry of history in both France and England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gillion families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gillion 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 18 Gillions recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.23x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 18 4.23x
Lancashire 7 1.37x
Aberdeenshire 3 7.55x
Bedfordshire 3 13.50x
Durham 2 1.57x
Renfrewshire 2 6.01x
Surrey 2 0.96x
Warwickshire 2 1.85x
Argyllshire 1 8.37x
Banffshire 1 11.24x
Hampshire 1 1.14x
Lanarkshire 1 0.72x
West Lothian 1 15.48x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ossett Cum Gawthorpe in Yorkshire leads with 5 Gillions recorded in 1881 and an index of 328.95x.

Place Total Index
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 5 328.95x
Dewsbury 4 91.74x
Toxteth Park 4 23.20x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 3 40.32x
Castleford 3 193.55x
Bedford St Paul 2 131.58x
Birmingham 2 5.54x
Blacktoft 2 4000.00x
Camberwell 2 7.30x
Hartlepool 2 110.50x
Holy Trinity 2 19.55x
Port Glasgow 2 124.22x
Bathgate 1 71.43x
Beaghall 1 2000.00x
Bothwell 1 26.60x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 12.36x
Kempston 1 200.00x
Manchester 1 4.37x
Oldham 1 6.08x
Rathven 1 59.88x
Southend 1 714.29x
Thorpe Willoughby 1 3333.33x
Ventnor 1 119.05x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ellen 2
Jane 2
Margaret 2
Mary 2
Ann 1
Annie 1
Catherine 1
Eliza 1
Elizabeth 1
Marianne 1
Martha 1
Nancy 1
Rachel 1
Rose 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 2
William 2
Albert 1
Charles 1
David 1
Edward 1
Frederick 1
George 1
Godfrey 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Lewis 1
Thomas 1
Wigglesworth 1
Wm. 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 Gillion households.

FAQ

Gillion surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gillion surname in 1881?

In 1881, 49 people were recorded with the Gillion surname. That placed it at #26,735 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gillion surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 132 in 2016. That gives Gillion a modern rank of #25,882.

What does the Gillion surname mean?

A surname derived from the Norman French personal name Gillon, a diminutive of Guillaume (William).

What does the Gillion map show?

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