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Gilliver Family History

Gilliver Surname Meaning

from Middle English gylofre gilliver ‘clove’ (Old French girofle gilofre) of uncertain application.

The term could denote not only the spice but also various herbaceous plants also known as gillyflowers that bear flowers with a clove-like scent.

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


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Where is the Gilliver family from?

You can see how Gilliver families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gilliver family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gilliver families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 107 Gilliver families living in Leicestershire. This was about 34% of all the recorded Gilliver's in United Kingdom. Leicestershire had the highest population of Gilliver families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gilliver 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 Gilliver ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Colliery Haulage Hand (below) Heavy and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Gilliver. 14% of Gilliver men worked as a Colliery Haulage Hand (below) Heavy and 78% of Gilliver women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gilliver were Furniture Repairer and Household Duties.

View Census Data for Gilliver | 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

  • Colliery Haulage Hand (below) Heavy
    14%
  • General Labourer
    9%
  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    9%
  • Furniture Repairer
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    78%
  • Domestic Duties
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
  • Household Duties
    3%

What Gilliver family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 6,000 census records available for the last name Gilliver. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gilliver census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Gilliver

Passenger Lists

There are 374 immigration records available for the last name Gilliver. 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 Gilliver immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 380 military records available for the last name Gilliver. For the veterans among your Gilliver ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gilliver military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gilliver family history

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What is the average Gilliver lifespan?

Between 1965 and 2004, in the United States, Gilliver life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2004, and highest in 1981. The average life expectancy for Gilliver in 1965 was 75, and 55 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gilliver

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gilliver 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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