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

Gillen, 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 Gillen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gillen in America

Gillen is the 4188th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gillen surname appeared 8,462 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Gillen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gillen 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 Gillen

The surname Gillen is of Irish origin and is believed to have first emerged in County Galway during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name "Gilla-nan," which translates to "servant of God." This name was commonly used as a prefix combined with various other elements, such as "Gilla-na-naomh" meaning "servant of the saints."

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Gillen can be traced back to medieval Irish records and manuscripts, including the Annals of the Four Masters, a compilation of chronicles and genealogies from the 12th to the 17th century. These annals mention various individuals bearing the name Gillen or its variants, such as Gilla-na-naomh, Gillananeev, and Gillenneev.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Gilla-na-naomh Ó Conchobhair, a prominent Irish poet and historian who lived in the 14th century. He was renowned for his works on Irish history and genealogy, and his writings have provided valuable insights into the cultural and literary traditions of medieval Ireland.

In the 16th century, the name Gillen appeared in the Fiants of Elizabeth I, which were records of royal letters patent and grants issued during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. These records mention individuals with the surname Gillen who were granted lands or privileges by the English Crown in Ireland.

Another notable historical figure bearing the name Gillen was Thomas Gillen (1857-1931), an Irish Catholic priest and author from County Galway. He wrote several books on Irish history, folklore, and literature, and was instrumental in preserving and promoting the cultural heritage of his native region.

Other notable individuals with the surname Gillen include John Gillen (1819-1898), an Irish politician and Member of Parliament for County Louth, and Joseph Gillen (1913-1992), an American artist and painter known for his landscape and seascape paintings.

The surname Gillen has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Gillencourse and Gillenlacken, which may have derived their names from individuals or families bearing the surname Gillen who lived in or owned those areas.

While the surname Gillen is predominantly of Irish origin, it has also been found in other parts of the world, likely due to Irish immigration and diaspora. However, its historical roots can be firmly traced back to the Gaelic-speaking regions of Ireland, where it has been recorded for several centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gillen

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

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

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

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