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

Gilson, 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 Gilson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gilson in America

Gilson is the 4846th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gilson surname appeared 7,271 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Gilson.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gilson 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 Gilson

The surname Gilson originated in England during the medieval period, derived from the personal name Giles, which was a popular name among early Christians. The name Giles itself is derived from the Greek name Aegidius, meaning "young goat."

Gilson is believed to have emerged as a surname in the 12th or 13th century, initially appearing as Gileson or Gillesone. It was a patronymic surname, indicating "son of Giles." The earliest known record of the surname Gilson dates back to the 13th century in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Gilson can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a William Gileson is listed as a landowner in Suffolk. This historical document provides valuable insights into the distribution and prevalence of surnames during that period.

In the 14th century, the surname Gilson appeared in various spellings, including Gilsoun, Gilleson, and Gillyson, reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and spelling practices. This diversity in spelling was common before the standardization of English orthography.

A notable figure bearing the surname Gilson was Sir Ralph Gilson, who lived in the early 15th century and served as a member of parliament for Northumberland in 1406 and 1411. He was also appointed as a tax collector for the county in 1412.

Another prominent individual with the surname Gilson was Thomas Gilson, a merchant and alderman of London, who lived in the 16th century. He served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1551 and was involved in various charitable endeavors.

In the 17th century, the Gilson family established themselves in Hertfordshire, where they owned substantial land and property. One notable member was Edward Gilson, born in 1636, who was a successful barrister and served as a Justice of the Peace.

The surname Gilson also found its way to other parts of the British Isles. In Scotland, a branch of the Gilson family settled in Ayrshire, where they were known for their involvement in agriculture and local governance.

Throughout history, the surname Gilson has been associated with various professions, including clergy, merchants, lawyers, and landowners. Despite its English origins, the name has spread to other parts of the world, carried by migration and immigration patterns.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gilson

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

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

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

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