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Gilliland Family History

Gilliland Surname Meaning

Scottish and Irish (Ulster): shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Gille Fhaolain (Scottish) or Mac Giolla Fhaoláin (Irish) ‘son of the servant of St. Faolán (Fillan)’.

Compare McClellan.

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


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Where is the Gilliland family from?

You can see how Gilliland families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gilliland family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gilliland families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 128 Gilliland families living in Lancashire. This was about 63% of all the recorded Gilliland's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Gilliland families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gilliland 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 Gilliland ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Bus Conductor and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Gilliland. 34% of Gilliland men worked as a Bus Conductor and 94% of Gilliland women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gilliland were Butcher and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Gilliland | 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

  • Bus Conductor
    34%
  • Apprentice Electrician
    34%
  • Butcher
    34%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    94%
  • Housewife
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%

What Gilliland family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 56,000 census records available for the last name Gilliland. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gilliland census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Gilliland

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Gilliland. 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 Gilliland immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 13,000 military records available for the last name Gilliland. For the veterans among your Gilliland ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gilliland military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gilliland family history

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What is the average Gilliland lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Gilliland life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Gilliland in 1941 was 49, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gilliland

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gilliland 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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