NameCensus.

UK surname

Gillison

Of English origin, potentially derived from the medieval personal name "Gilleson" or "Gilison".

In the 1881 census there were 129 people recorded with the Gillison surname, ranking it #17,013 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 94, ranked #31,871, down from #17,013 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Manchester and West Derby. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wirral, Stroud and The Vale of Glamorgan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gillison is 151 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 27.1%.

1881 census count

129

Ranked #17,013

Modern count

94

2016, ranked #31,871

Peak year

1901

151 bearers

Map years

5

1881 to 1998

Key insights

  • Gillison had 129 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,013 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 94 in 2016, ranked #31,871.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 151 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Gillison surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gillison surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gillison 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 89 #18,446
1861 historical 99 #21,294
1881 historical 129 #17,013
1891 historical 132 #19,976
1901 historical 151 #17,988
1911 historical 111 #21,392
1997 modern 107 #25,924
1998 modern 109 #26,273
1999 modern 111 #26,182
2000 modern 110 #26,248
2001 modern 106 #26,468
2002 modern 109 #26,552
2003 modern 109 #26,361
2004 modern 102 #27,637
2005 modern 95 #28,817
2006 modern 87 #30,292
2007 modern 90 #30,228
2008 modern 94 #29,950
2009 modern 101 #29,445
2010 modern 94 #31,111
2011 modern 95 #30,877
2012 modern 91 #31,659
2013 modern 93 #31,785
2014 modern 96 #31,667
2015 modern 94 #31,872
2016 modern 94 #31,871

Geography

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Where Gillisons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Manchester, West Derby and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wirral, Stroud, The Vale of Glamorgan and Sefton. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 West Derby Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wirral 011 Wirral
2 Wirral 021 Wirral
3 Stroud 012 Stroud
4 The Vale of Glamorgan 014 Vale of Glamorgan
5 Sefton 004 Sefton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gillison

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gillison

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Gillison 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

Gillison 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

Gillison 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 Gillison 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 Gillison, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Gillison

The surname Gillison originated from the northern regions of England during the medieval period, specifically in the counties of Northumberland and Durham. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "gyl" or "gil," meaning a narrow, steep-sided valley, and "sunu," meaning son or descendant. Therefore, the name likely referred to someone who lived in or near a ravine or deep valley.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, which mentions a person named William Gillesone. Additionally, the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1279 includes an entry for a Richard Gillesone, suggesting the name's presence in different regions of England during that time.

While the name does not appear in the Domesday Book, a significant historical document from 1086, it is possible that some of the earliest bearers of the name were descendants of individuals mentioned in the book under different spellings or variations.

In the 13th century, the name was also recorded in Scotland, with mentions of Adam Gillyson in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1264 and John Gylysone in the Ragman Rolls of 1296.

Notable individuals with the surname Gillison throughout history include:

1. Sir John Gillison (1570-1634), an English merchant and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the City of London in the early 17th century.

2. William Gillison (1688-1757), a Scottish minister and theologian who authored several religious works, including "A Treatise on the Sacraments" and "A Defense of the Westminster Confession of Faith."

3. Mary Gillison (1738-1808), an English writer and poet known for her collection of poems titled "The Rural Muse," published in 1789.

4. Robert Gillison (1825-1898), a Scottish-born industrialist and entrepreneur who founded the Gillison Steel Company in Pennsylvania, one of the largest steel manufacturers in the United States during the late 19th century.

5. Henry Gillison (1860-1932), an English painter and illustrator renowned for his landscapes and depictions of rural life in the county of Sussex.

While the surname Gillison is not as common today as it once was, its historical roots can be traced back to the medieval era in England and Scotland, reflecting the geographic and linguistic origins of the name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gillison families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gillison 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 57 Gillisons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.82x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 57 3.82x
Lincolnshire 12 5.96x
Midlothian 12 7.12x
Yorkshire 10 0.80x
Middlesex 8 0.64x
Norfolk 7 3.62x
Dumfriesshire 5 17.99x
Durham 4 1.07x
Perthshire 4 7.08x
Angus 3 2.57x
Essex 3 1.21x
Kirkcudbrightshire 2 10.98x
Devon 1 0.38x
Surrey 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 16 Gillisons recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.64x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 16 17.64x
Everton 13 27.32x
Brotton 10 613.50x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 10 14.74x
Ropsley 10 3571.43x
West Derby 10 22.89x
Broughton In Salford 9 65.93x
Salford 6 13.66x
Bethnal Green London 5 9.15x
Walpole St Peter 5 1020.41x
Muckhart 4 1538.46x
Stockton On Tees 4 22.17x
Dundee 3 6.89x
Great Saling 3 2000.00x
Stretford 3 36.54x
Dumfries 2 72.99x
Spalding 2 50.13x
St George In East London 2 16.91x
Torthorwald 2 465.12x
Troqueer 2 83.68x
Wiggenhall St Mary 2 666.67x
Edinburgh St Marys 1 30.49x
Newington 1 2.15x
Plymstock 1 72.99x
Spitalfields London 1 10.57x
Tinwald 1 270.27x
West Calder 1 30.12x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 7
Sarah 4
Agnes 3
Elizth. 3
Margaret 3
Annie 2
Edith 2
Eliza 2
Elizabeth 2
Janet 2
Amy 1
Ann 1
Barbara 1
Eleanor 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Florence 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Jeannie 1
Lucy 1
Mgt. 1
Rose 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 9
Thomas 8
William 8
John 5
George 3
Alfred 2
Herbert 2
Robert 2
Samuel 2
Albert 1
Andrew 1
Arthur 1
Cyril 1
David 1
Edward 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
Gerald 1
Henry 1
Jacob 1
Septimas 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1
W. 1
Wm. 1
Wm.J. 1

FAQ

Gillison surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gillison surname in 1881?

In 1881, 129 people were recorded with the Gillison surname. That placed it at #17,013 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gillison surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 94 in 2016. That gives Gillison a modern rank of #31,871.

What does the Gillison surname mean?

Of English origin, potentially derived from the medieval personal name "Gilleson" or "Gilison".

What does the Gillison map show?

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