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Gilkinson Family History

Gilkinson Surname Meaning

Probably a variant of Gilkison with intrusive -n-. Gilkison, also spelled Gilkerson, may have been re-formed as Gilkinson by a false analogy with northern surnames like Wilke(r)son, a reduced form of Wilkinson. Possibly an English patronymic 'son of Gilkin'.

With a hard pronunciation of initial G-, the personal name might be a pet form of Gilbert. With a soft pronunciation of initial G-, it would be a borrowing into Middle English of Gilquin, the French version of Middle Dutch Gilkin (as in the 1296 citation), which was the common Flemish pet form of Giles.

Many Flemings settled in England after the Norman Conquest. It may have given rise to the now-lost surnames Gilkin and Gilkins, as in Richard Gylekyn, 1317–18 in Feet of Fines (Surrey); Richard Gylkyns, 1332 in Subsidy Rolls (Worcs).

Compare Gill. Alternatively, the English surname (if it has a soft G-) might be based on a pet form of the Middle English female personal name Gillian. Compare Gill.

Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, 2016


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Where is the Gilkinson family from?

You can see how Gilkinson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gilkinson family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gilkinson families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 6 Gilkinson families living in Warwickshire. This was about 38% of all the recorded Gilkinson's in United Kingdom. Warwickshire had the highest population of Gilkinson families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gilkinson 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 Gilkinson ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Gilkinson. 43% of Gilkinson men worked as a Farmer and 50% of Gilkinson women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gilkinson were Plumber and New Worker.

View Census Data for Gilkinson | 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.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    43%
  • Laborer
    33%
  • Florist
    11%
  • Plumber
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    50%
  • New Worker
    50%

What Gilkinson family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Gilkinson. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gilkinson census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Gilkinson

Passenger Lists

There are 588 immigration records available for the last name Gilkinson. 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 Gilkinson immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 343 military records available for the last name Gilkinson. For the veterans among your Gilkinson ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gilkinson military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gilkinson family history

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What is the average Gilkinson lifespan?

Between 1968 and 2003, in the United States, Gilkinson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1971, and highest in 1986. The average life expectancy for Gilkinson in 1968 was 80, and 76 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gilkinson

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gilkinson ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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