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

Gilling, 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 Gilling surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gilling in America

Gilling is the 85357th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gilling surname appeared 219 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 Gilling.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gilling 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 Gilling

The surname Gilling is believed to have originated in England, tracing its roots back to the Anglo-Saxon era. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "gylling," which means a small stream or rivulet. This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near a small stream or river.

One of the earliest known records of the name Gilling can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and property holders in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Gyllinges," indicating that it was already in use during the 11th century.

Throughout the centuries, the name has undergone various spelling variations, including Gylling, Gilling, and Gillings. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the evolving nature of the English language.

In terms of place names associated with the surname, there are several villages and towns in England that bear the name Gilling, such as Gilling East and Gilling West in North Yorkshire, and Gilling in Cambridgeshire. These place names likely originated from the same Old English word as the surname, further reinforcing the connection between the name and its geographical roots.

Notable individuals with the surname Gilling throughout history include:

1. Sir Nehemiah Gilling (1560-1633), an English merchant and Member of Parliament during the reign of King James I.
2. John Gilling (1667-1721), an English clergyman and writer who served as the Rector of Hackney in London.
3. William Gilling (1785-1857), a British architect known for his work on several churches and public buildings in London.
4. Sir Alfred Gilling (1888-1972), a British civil engineer and industrialist who played a significant role in the development of the automotive industry.
5. Terry Gilling (1937-2023), an English film and television director best known for his work on several horror and science fiction productions in the 1970s and 1980s.

While the surname Gilling may have evolved over time and spread across different regions, its origins can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon period in England, where it was likely associated with individuals who lived near small streams or rivulets.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gilling

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

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

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

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