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

Gillin, 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 Gillin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gillin in America

Gillin is the 21204th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gillin surname appeared 1,238 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 Gillin.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gillin 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 Gillin

The surname Gillin is believed to have originated in Ireland, with roots tracing back to the 16th century. The name is likely derived from the Gaelic name "Ó Giolláin," meaning "descendant of the devotee." It is thought to have been a common name among Irish families, particularly in the counties of Donegal, Galway, and Mayo.

One of the earliest known records of the Gillin name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the early 17th century. The annals mention a Gillin O'Donnelly, who served as a chieftain in County Donegal during the 14th century.

In the late 16th century, the Gillin name appeared in the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereign, a collection of administrative records from the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. These records document land grants and appointments to various individuals, including several members of the Gillin family.

The Gillin surname has also been associated with several notable figures throughout history. In the 18th century, Patrick Gillin (1701-1779) was a prominent Irish politician and landowner who served as a member of the Irish Parliament. Another notable bearer of the name was John Gillin (1819-1899), an Irish-American businessman and philanthropist who made his fortune in the shipping industry.

During the 19th century, the Gillin name gained recognition in the world of literature. Thomas Gillin (1839-1915) was an Irish poet and author who wrote extensively about life in rural Ireland. His works, such as "The Bard's Lament" and "The Blacksmith's Daughter," captured the essence of Irish culture and traditions.

In more recent times, the Gillin surname has been carried by several accomplished individuals. William Gillin (1925-2010) was an influential American journalist and author who served as the editor-in-chief of the Los Angeles Times. John Gillin (1917-1998) was a prominent American businessman and philanthropist, best known for his involvement in the telecommunications industry.

The Gillin name has also been associated with various place names throughout Ireland, including Gillincarra in County Donegal and Gillincurragh in County Mayo. These place names likely derived from the Gaelic phrase "Baile Uí Giolláin," meaning "town of the Gillin family."

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gillin

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

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

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

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