Find out how popular the last name Gil is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Gil.

Gil, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Gil surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gil in America

Gil is the 1353rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gil surname appeared 26,112 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 9 people would have the surname Gil.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gil to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Gil

The surname GIL has its origins in Spain and Portugal, where it emerged during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the given name Gil, a Spanish and Portuguese form of the French name Gilles, which itself traces back to the Greek name Aegidius.

In its earliest recorded usage, the name GIL appeared in various medieval Spanish and Portuguese documents, such as the Libro de las Behetrías de Castilla, a 14th-century manuscript detailing the landholdings and privileges of Castilian nobles. It was also found in the Cancioneiro da Ajuda, a 13th-century Portuguese book of poems and songs.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname GIL was Gil Pérez, a 12th-century nobleman from the Kingdom of León in present-day Spain. Another notable figure was Gil Vicente, a renowned Portuguese playwright and poet who lived from around 1465 to 1536 and is considered the founder of Portuguese theater.

The name GIL has been associated with several place names in Spain and Portugal, such as Gil García, a town in the Spanish province of Ávila, and Villa Gil, a parish in the Portuguese municipality of Lousada. These place names likely derived from individuals with the surname GIL who were either landowners or founders of those settlements.

Throughout history, the surname GIL has been borne by various notable individuals, including:

1. Gil Álvarez Carrillo de Albornoz (1310-1367), a Spanish cardinal and military leader who played a pivotal role in the Avignon Papacy.
2. Gil de Siloé (c. 1435-1501), a Spanish sculptor and architect known for his work on the Cathedral of Burgos.
3. Gil González Dávila (1570-1658), a Spanish historian and author of the influential work "Teatro Eclesiástico de las Iglesias Metropolitanas y Catedrales de los Reinos de las Dos Castillas."
4. Gil Eannes (c. 1235-1325), a Portuguese navigator and explorer credited with discovering the Canary Islands in the 14th century.
5. Gil Puyat (1880-1966), a Filipino lawyer, politician, and diplomat who served as a Senator and Secretary of Foreign Affairs.

While the surname GIL has its roots in the Iberian Peninsula, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through Spanish and Portuguese colonization and migration. However, its historical significance remains deeply rooted in the cultural and linguistic heritage of Spain and Portugal.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gil

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Gil.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Gil was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Gil has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Gil was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Gil, please contact us.

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