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

Gills, 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 Gills surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gills in America

Gills is the 14651st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gills surname appeared 2,031 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 Gills.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gills 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 Gills

The surname Gills has its origins in England, tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "gill," which referred to a narrow valley or ravine. This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a topographic name, describing a person who lived near or in such a geographical feature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Gille" and "Gille de Heriz." This indicates that the name was already established in England during the Norman Conquest.

In the 13th century, records show variations of the name such as "Gille," "Gille de la Hulle," and "Gille de Hyldene." The latter two examples incorporate place names, further reinforcing the topographic association of the name.

During the 14th century, the surname began to take on its more modern spelling, with instances like "Robert Gille" recorded in the Hundredorum Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1279.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Gills include:

1. John Gills (c. 1565-1635), an English lawyer and Member of Parliament for Maldon in 1597.
2. Thomas Gills (1658-1723), an English minister and author of the influential work "The Cause of God and Truth."
3. Mary Gills (1736-1809), a British botanist and illustrator known for her contributions to the study of flora.
4. William Gills (1792-1867), a British naval officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and later became a baronet.
5. Edward Gills (1871-1940), an American politician who served as the 32nd Governor of New Jersey from 1924 to 1927.

The name Gills has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Gillingham in Kent, Gillingham in Dorset, and Gillsland in Cumbria. These place names likely share a similar etymological root, further solidifying the connection between the surname and geographical features.

While the surname Gills is not among the most common in modern times, its rich history and origins in medieval England provide insight into the lives and settlements of those who first bore this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gills

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

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

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

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