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

Gilleland, 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 Gilleland surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gilleland in America

Gilleland is the 14208th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gilleland surname appeared 2,113 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Gilleland.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gilleland 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 Gilleland

The surname Gilleland is believed to have originated in Scotland, with roots dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic words "gil," meaning a ravine or glen, and "lann," meaning an enclosure or church. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a ravine or glen with a church or monastic settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of homages rendered to King Edward I of England after his conquest of Scotland. The name is listed as "Gillelande," which is likely an earlier spelling variation.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the Gilleland family is believed to have been well-established in the Scottish Lowlands, particularly in the regions of Ayrshire and Renfrewshire. Records from this period often mention individuals with variations of the name, such as "Gillelan," "Gillelane," and "Gillaland."

In the 16th century, a notable figure named John Gilleland (c. 1520-1590) was a prominent religious leader and reformer in Scotland. He played a significant role in the establishment of the Presbyterian Church and was a close associate of John Knox.

Another prominent individual was Sir Robert Gilleland (1644-1718), a Scottish nobleman and politician who served as a member of the Parliament of Scotland and later the Parliament of Great Britain after the Acts of Union in 1707.

In the 18th century, the Gilleland name appeared in various historical records, including the Parish Registers of Ayrshire, which documented births, marriages, and deaths within the region. One such entry from 1756 mentions a William Gilleland, whose occupation is listed as a farmer.

During the 19th century, as the Scottish diaspora spread across the world, the Gilleland surname began to appear in various parts of the British Empire and beyond. One notable individual from this era was James Gilleland (1801-1878), a Scottish-born Australian explorer and surveyor who played a crucial role in mapping the interior of the continent.

Another significant figure was Mary Gilleland (1867-1945), a Scottish suffragette and activist who campaigned tirelessly for women's rights and social reform. She was a prominent figure in the Women's Social and Political Union and was arrested several times for her involvement in protests and civil disobedience.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gilleland

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

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

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

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