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

Gillenwaters, 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 Gillenwaters surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gillenwaters in America

Gillenwaters is the 89753rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gillenwaters surname appeared 206 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 Gillenwaters.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gillenwaters 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 Gillenwaters

The surname Gillenwaters has its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "gillen" meaning a ravine or deep valley, and "wæter" meaning water. This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived near a stream or river running through a ravine.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1275, which mentions a John de Gillenwateres. This indicates that the name was already established in the West Midlands region of England by that time.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various medieval records with slightly different spellings, such as Gyllenwater and Gyllynwater. These variations reflect the evolving nature of surnames during that period, as they were often adapted based on regional dialects and scribal interpretations.

The Gillenwaters surname is also linked to several place names in England, such as Gillenwaters Farm in Herefordshire and Gillenwaters Lane in Gloucestershire. These locations likely took their names from early settlers bearing the Gillenwaters surname.

Notable individuals with the Gillenwaters surname throughout history include:

1. William Gillenwaters (c. 1520 - 1585), an English merchant and landowner from Gloucestershire.
2. John Gillenwaters (c. 1580 - 1645), a yeoman farmer from Worcestershire who fought in the English Civil War.
3. Mary Gillenwaters (1670 - 1738), a renowned herbalist and midwife from Oxfordshire.
4. Thomas Gillenwaters (1725 - 1802), a wealthy landowner and philanthropist from Gloucestershire who funded the construction of several churches and schools in the region.
5. Elizabeth Gillenwaters (1810 - 1892), a prominent campaigner for women's rights and education in London.

While the Gillenwaters surname may not be as widely recognized as some others, it has a rich history deeply rooted in the English countryside, with references dating back centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gillenwaters

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

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

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

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