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

Gilliard, 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 Gilliard surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gilliard in America

Gilliard is the 7885th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gilliard surname appeared 4,198 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Gilliard.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gilliard 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 Gilliard

The surname Gilliard originated in France and is derived from the medieval French given name Gillard or Giliard. These names stem from the Old German word "Gisilhard," which means "brave with the spear." The earliest recorded examples of the Gilliard surname date back to the 12th century in Normandy, France.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Gilliard name was Renaud Gilliard, a Norman knight who fought in the Crusades during the late 12th century. The name also appeared in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land and property ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror.

During the Middle Ages, the Gilliard surname was prominent in the regions of Normandy and Brittany in northern France. The name was often associated with nobility and landowners, with many Gilliard families holding fiefs and estates in these areas.

In the 14th century, a branch of the Gilliard family settled in the French province of Anjou. Jean Gilliard (1325-1392) was a notable figure from this lineage, serving as a magistrate and legal advisor to the Count of Anjou.

Another prominent individual bearing the Gilliard name was Pierre Gilliard (1679-1748), a French philosopher and theologian who wrote extensively on the concept of natural law and its relationship with divine revelation.

As the centuries progressed, the Gilliard surname spread across France and into other parts of Europe. One notable example is Georg Gilliard (1822-1901), a Swiss-born artist and painter who became renowned for his landscape paintings of the Swiss Alps.

In the 19th century, the Gilliard name gained recognition in military circles. Émile Gilliard (1841-1915) was a French general who served with distinction in the Franco-Prussian War and later became a renowned military strategist and writer.

Overall, the Gilliard surname has a rich history rooted in medieval France, with various branches of the family achieving prominence in various fields throughout the centuries. The name's origins can be traced back to the Old German word "Gisilhard," reflecting its association with bravery and valor.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gilliard

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

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

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

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