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Gilson Family History

Gilson Name Meaning

English: ‘son of Gill’ from a Middle English pet form of either the female name Gillian (Latin Juliana) or of the male names Gilliam a variant of William and Giles. + -son<i/>. See Gill . English: patronymic meaning ‘son of Giles’ from the personal name Giles + -son. Irish (Down): adopted for Mac Giolla Seanáin see Gilsenan . Walloon and northern French: from a shortened form of Gilesson a pet form of the personal name Giles (see Gilles ).

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


Similar surnames: Wilson, Gillon, Filson, Gipson, Bilson, Gibson, Dillon, Gillen

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Where is the Gilson family from?

You can see how Gilson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gilson family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gilson families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 335 Gilson families living in London. This was about 15% of all the recorded Gilson's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Gilson families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gilson 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 Gilson 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 Gilson. 13% of Gilson men worked as a General Labourer and 71% of Gilson women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gilson were Gardener and Incapacitated. .

View Census Data for Gilson | 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
    13%
  • Incapacitated
    7%
  • Bricklayer
    4%
  • Gardener
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    71%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    2%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Gilson family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 95,000 census records available for the last name Gilson. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gilson census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Gilson

Passenger Lists

There are 10,000 immigration records available for the last name Gilson. 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.

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Draft Cards

There are 11,000 military records available for the last name Gilson. For the veterans among your Gilson ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Gilson lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Gilson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1950, and highest in 1991. The average life expectancy for Gilson in 1942 was 39, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gilson

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