2000
#2,674
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,414
First available Census row
Per 100,000 4.60
Uncommon Last name
Gillette
A French locational surname referring to someone living near a small creek or ravine.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 14,060 Americans carry the last name Gillette. That puts it at #2,867 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 4.10 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 24,378 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gillette surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Gillette with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
14K
1 in 24,378
Census rank
#2,867
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
4.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
12K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 12,261 bearers of the surname Gillette in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 4.10 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2867th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gillette, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.5%. The next largest groups are Black (5.7%) and Hispanic (4.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gillette
The surname Gillette originated in France, specifically in the Normandy region, and dates back to the early Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old French word "gillette," which means "little gill" or "small ravine." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived near a small ravine or valley.
The name Gillette first appeared in the Domesday Book of 1086, which recorded landowners in England after the Norman Conquest. This indicates that individuals bearing this surname were among the Norman settlers who accompanied William the Conqueror to England in the 11th century.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gillette was in the 12th century, when a man named Robert Gillette was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1166. This document recorded financial transactions and administrative matters in medieval England.
During the 13th century, the name Gillette was found in various locations across Normandy, such as in the village of Gillette near Rouen. This suggests that the name was well-established in the region and may have originated from a place name.
In the 14th century, a prominent figure named John Gillette was recorded as being a member of the English Parliament in 1358. He represented the county of Lincolnshire, indicating that the name had spread and become well-established in England by that time.
Another notable individual with the surname Gillette was Jacques Gillette, a French merchant and explorer who lived in the late 16th century. He is believed to have been one of the first Europeans to establish trade relationships with the indigenous peoples of Canada.
In the 17th century, the name Gillette appeared in various records in New England, indicating that individuals bearing this surname were among the early settlers in the American colonies. One such person was Jonathan Gillette, who was born in 1636 in Windsor, Connecticut, and was a prominent figure in the local community.
During the 18th century, the surname Gillette was found in various parts of Europe, including France, England, and Germany. One notable individual was Jean-Baptiste Gillette, a French painter and engraver who lived from 1751 to 1827 and was known for his portraiture and historical paintings.
Throughout the 19th century, the surname Gillette continued to be prominent in various regions, including the United States and Europe. One famous individual was William Gillette, an American actor and playwright who was born in 1853 and is best known for his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes on stage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gillette
Among Census respondents with the surname Gillette, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.5%. The next largest groups are Black (5.7%) and Hispanic (4.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Gillette bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Gillette surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White84.5% · 10,360
- Black or African American5.7% · 702
- Hispanic or Latino4.4% · 539
- Two or more races3.6% · 442
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 119
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 99
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gillette
Gillette appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#2,831
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,724
+310 bearers (+2.5%)
Per 100,000 4.31
Rank movement Down 157 places
2020
#2,867
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,261
-463 bearers (-3.6%)
Per 100,000 4.10
Rank movement Down 36 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,674 | 12,414 | 4.60 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,831 | 12,724 | 4.31 | +310 bearers (+2.5%) | Down 157 places |
| 2020 | #2,867 | 12,261 | 4.10 | -463 bearers (-3.6%) | Down 36 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Gillette surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,831 | #2,867 | -1.3% |
| Count | 12,724 | 12,261 | -3.6% |
| Per 100K | 4.31 | 4.10 | -4.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gillette bearers went from 12,724 to 12,261 (-3.6% change). The surname moved down 36 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,831 to #2,867.
FAQ
Gillette surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gillette?
Name Census estimates that about 14,060 living Americans carry the surname Gillette. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 24,378 residents.
How common is Gillette?
Gillette ranks #2,867 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 4.10 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 12,261 people with the surname Gillette. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (14,060), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 4.1 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 4.10 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Gillette.
Has Gillette become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gillette went from 12,724 recorded bearers to 12,261. That is a decrease of 463 (-3.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #2,831 to #2,867.
What does the Census say about the background of Gillette?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gillette, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.5%. The next largest groups are Black (5.7%) and Hispanic (4.4%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Gillette in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.5% (10,360 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gillette appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (84.5%), Black (5.7%), Hispanic (4.4%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Gillette (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Gillette mean?
A French locational surname referring to someone living near a small creek or ravine. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Gillette (4.10 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Gillette?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.