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

Gillett, 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 Gillett surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gillett in America

Gillett is the 6421st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gillett surname appeared 5,293 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Gillett.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gillett 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 Gillett

The surname Gillett is of English origin, originating from the medieval given name Giles, derived from the Old French name Gilles, which in turn came from the Greek name Aegidius. The name Aegidius itself is of uncertain etymology but may be connected to the Greek word for a young goat.

The name Giles was introduced to England by Norman settlers after the Norman Conquest of 1066. It became a popular name, particularly among the lower classes, and over time evolved into various surnames, including Giles, Gyll, Gill, and Gillett.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Gillett can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1176, which mention a Gillebertus Gillet. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also include references to individuals with the surname Gillett in various counties, such as Robert Gillet in Oxfordshire and William Gillet in Buckinghamshire.

The surname Gillett is believed to have originated in the regions of Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, and Buckinghamshire, where it was particularly prevalent during the medieval period. It may have been derived from place names like Gillettes in Gloucestershire or Gilletts in Oxfordshire, though the exact connection is uncertain.

Notable individuals with the surname Gillett throughout history include:

1. John Gillett (c. 1565-1623), an English clergyman and the first President of Harvard College.
2. Philip Gillette (1611-1675), one of the founders of Milford, Connecticut, and a prominent figure in the early history of the colony.
3. William Gillett (1794-1871), an English architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Panopticon of Science and Art.
4. Jonathan Gillett (1804-1863), an American politician who served as the 20th Governor of New Hampshire from 1863 to 1865.
5. Ezra Hall Gillett (1823-1875), an American businessman and politician who served as the 21st Governor of Wisconsin from 1873 to 1875.

The surname Gillett has been found in various historical records, including parish registers, tax rolls, and census records, spanning several centuries. While its origins can be traced back to medieval England, the name has since spread across the English-speaking world, with notable individuals bearing this surname contributing to various fields throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gillett

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

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

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

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