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

Gilley, 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 Gilley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gilley in America

Gilley is the 3593rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gilley surname appeared 9,906 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 Gilley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gilley 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 Gilley

The surname Gilley is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "gil," meaning a ravine or deep valley. This suggests that the name was likely borne by someone who lived near or worked in a steep-sided valley or ravine.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Gilley can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which lists a Walter Gilley from Oxfordshire. The Hundred Rolls were administrative records compiled in England during the reign of King Edward I.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various spellings such as Gillie, Gilly, and Gylle. These variations reflect the fluid nature of spelling during that time period before standardization became more widespread.

A notable bearer of the Gilley surname was Sir John Gilley, a prominent English merchant and alderman who lived in the 15th century. He was a member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers and served as the Sheriff of London in 1433.

The surname Gilley is also linked to several place names in England, such as Gilley Green in Hertfordshire and Gilley Field in Buckinghamshire. These place names likely originated from the Old English word "gil," further reinforcing the connection between the surname and its geographic origins.

Another historical figure with the Gilley surname was Thomas Gilley, born in 1568 in Lincolnshire, England. He was a renowned theologian and academic who served as the Regius Professor of Divinity at the University of Cambridge from 1628 until his death in 1636.

In the 17th century, the Gilley surname appeared in various parish records and documents across England, indicating its widespread distribution throughout the country. One such record includes the baptism of William Gilley in 1642 in the parish of St. Mary's in Taunton, Somerset.

As the centuries progressed, the Gilley surname continued to be found in various regions of England, with families bearing the name contributing to the rich tapestry of English history and society.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gilley

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

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

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

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