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

Gilreath, 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 Gilreath surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gilreath in America

Gilreath is the 8456th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gilreath surname appeared 3,905 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 Gilreath.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gilreath 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 Gilreath

The surname Gilreath has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have been derived from the Gaelic words "gille" meaning "servant" and "reath" meaning "grace" or "prosperity." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a servant or attendant of someone noble or wealthy.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical record of Scottish landowners and nobles who pledged allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name is listed as "Gilreuath," indicating its ancient roots and evolution in spelling over time.

In the 16th century, a branch of the Gilreath family settled in the Scottish Borders region, particularly in the areas of Dumfries and Galloway. This is where the name became more prominent, with several notable individuals emerging.

One such individual was John Gilreath, born in 1625 in Dumfries. He was a renowned scholar and theologian, serving as a minister in the Church of Scotland and later becoming the principal of the University of Edinburgh in 1685.

Another notable figure was Sir James Gilreath, born in 1670 in Galloway. He was a respected military leader and served as a colonel in the British Army during the War of the Spanish Succession. His bravery and leadership earned him recognition and honors from King George I.

In the late 17th century, some Gilreath families migrated to Ireland, particularly to County Antrim, where they established themselves as landowners and farmers. One prominent member was William Gilreath, born in 1710 in Antrim, who became a successful merchant and played a significant role in the local community.

As the Gilreath name spread across the British Isles, it also found its way to the American colonies in the 18th century. One of the earliest recorded Gilreaths in America was Robert Gilreath, born in 1725 in Dumfries, Scotland. He settled in Virginia and became a prosperous farmer and landowner.

Another notable American Gilreath was Reverend James Gilreath, born in 1785 in North Carolina. He was a prominent Baptist minister and educator, founding several churches and serving as the president of Wake Forest College (now Wake Forest University) from 1846 to 1849.

While the Gilreath surname has its roots in Scotland, it has since become widely dispersed across various parts of the world, with families embracing diverse professions and contributing to the rich tapestry of global history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gilreath

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

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

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

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