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Gillis Family History

Gillis Name Meaning

Scottish (western) and Irish (Ulster): Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic Gille Iosa Irish Giolla Íosa ‘servant of Jesus’ or a shortened form from Mac Gille Íosa or Mac Giolla Íosa ‘son of the servant of Jesus’. Compare McLeish . The usual spelling in Scotland is Gillies . Flemish Dutch and Walloon: from the personal name Gillis a Flemish equivalent and Walloon variant of French and Walloon Gilles .

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Gill, Gillen, Gillig, Gilpin, Millis, Giblin, Gilliss, Gilles, Gallik

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Gillis family from?

You can see how Gillis families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gillis family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gillis families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 84 Gillis families living in London. This was about 26% of all the recorded Gillis's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Gillis families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gillis surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Gillis ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Gillis. 28% of Gillis men worked as a General Labourer and 79% of Gillis women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gillis were Licensed Victualler and Domestic Servant. .

View Census Data for Gillis | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    28%
  • Wharf Labourer
    17%
  • Electrical Engineer
    12%
  • Licensed Victualler
    12%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    79%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Domestic Duties
    3%
  • Domestic Servant
    3%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Gillis family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 115,000 census records available for the last name Gillis. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gillis census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Gillis

Passenger Lists

There are 19,000 immigration records available for the last name Gillis. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Gillis immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 21,000 military records available for the last name Gillis. For the veterans among your Gillis ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gillis military records

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What is the average Gillis lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Gillis life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1954, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Gillis in 1940 was 66, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gillis

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