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

Gilkerson, 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 Gilkerson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gilkerson in America

Gilkerson is the 22592nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gilkerson surname appeared 1,137 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Gilkerson.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gilkerson 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 Gilkerson

The surname Gilkerson is of English origin, originating in the northern counties of England during the medieval period. It is believed to derive from the Old English personal name Gylca, which was a diminutive form of the name Gilbert. The suffix "-son" was commonly added to form patronymic surnames, indicating "son of Gylca."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1273, where it appears as "Gilkerson." This suggests that the name was already established by the 13th century in that region of England. Variations in spelling during this time were common, with forms like "Gilkerson," "Gilkyrsone," and "Gilkyrson" also appearing in historical records.

The Gilkerson name can be traced back to the village of Gilkerson in Yorkshire, which was likely named after one of the early bearers of the surname. This connection to a specific place name further reinforces the English origins of the Gilkerson family.

One notable individual bearing this surname was John Gilkerson, a merchant who lived in the city of York during the 15th century. Records indicate that he was involved in the wool trade and held influential positions within the city's guilds.

In the 16th century, a Gilkerson family was recorded as landowners in the county of Northumberland. Thomas Gilkerson, born in 1530, was a respected landowner and farmer who passed his lands down to his descendants.

During the English Civil War of the 17th century, a Captain William Gilkerson fought on the Parliamentarian side. He is mentioned in accounts of the Battle of Marston Moor in 1644, where he distinguished himself in combat.

Another notable figure was Sir Robert Gilkerson, a wealthy merchant and philanthropist born in 1678 in the city of Bristol. He made significant contributions to the development of the city and funded the construction of several public buildings and charitable institutions.

As the Gilkerson family spread throughout England over the centuries, they maintained a presence in various regions, including Yorkshire, Northumberland, and the West Country. While not a particularly common surname, the Gilkerson name has a rich history deeply rooted in the English medieval era.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gilkerson

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

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 Gilkerson 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 Gilkerson 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 Gilkerson was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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