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

Gillihan, 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 Gillihan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gillihan in America

Gillihan is the 22056th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gillihan surname appeared 1,175 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 Gillihan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gillihan 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 Gillihan

The surname Gillihan has its origins in Ireland, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic personal name Gille Íomhair, which means "servant of Íomhar." Íomhar was an older Irish form of the Norse name Ivar, which itself was a contracted form of the Old Norse name Ingvarr, meaning "ingenious warrior."

The name Gillihan first appeared in historical records in the 13th century, particularly in the Irish annals and manuscripts that chronicled the lives and deeds of notable families and individuals. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, an authoritative chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the early 17th century by Franciscan monks.

During the Middle Ages, the Gillihans were primarily concentrated in the northern counties of Ireland, particularly in the regions of Ulster and Connacht. The name was also associated with several place names in these areas, such as Gilligan's Town in County Longford and Gilligan's Townland in County Cavan.

In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the Gillihan surname was Cormac Gillihan, a scholar and poet from County Sligo, who was renowned for his contributions to Irish literature. Another prominent individual was Diarmaid Gillihan (c. 1550-1620), a chieftain and military leader from County Fermanagh, who played a significant role in the Nine Years' War against English forces in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.

As the name spread beyond Ireland, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Gilligan, Gillighan, and Gillikin, reflecting regional dialects and pronunciation differences. One notable bearer of the name in England was William Gilligan (1668-1714), a noted architect and surveyor who worked on several prestigious projects, including St. Paul's Cathedral in London.

In the 18th century, the Gillihan surname gained prominence in the United States, with several individuals making significant contributions. Among them was James Gillihan (1738-1815), an American farmer and soldier who fought in the Revolutionary War and later served as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates.

Another notable figure was John Gillihan (1789-1865), a prominent lawyer and politician from Ohio, who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives and played a key role in the establishment of the state's public education system.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gillihan

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

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

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

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