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Gilders Family History

Gilders Surname Meaning

The name Gilder or Gelder appears as a variant with a post-medieval excrescent -s. Historical records provide examples such as Ric. Gelder in 1566 from IGI in Barton upon Humber, Lincs, Nicholas Gilder in 1589 from IGI in Saint Ann Blackfriars, London, Jeremie Gilder in 1592 from IGI in Islip, Oxon, and Anne Gilder in 1769 from IGI in Alresford, Essex.

It's suggested that the name may be associated with an officer of a town's guild-house, known in Middle English as gild-ho(u)s. However, it remains uncertain whether the Middle English surname became hereditary, since post-medieval forms like Gildas and Gildus are likely quasi-phonetic spellings of Gilders or Gelders.

In these post-medieval forms, the sound /r/ appears to have assimilated to the following /s/. The spelling Gildhouse from 1688 is probably a hypercorrect version of Gildus, influenced by folk etymology.

As a result, all the post-medieval examples listed may belong to the first category of names. This complexity in the origins and transformations of the surname highlights the dynamic nature of language and naming conventions through history.

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


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Where is the Gilders family from?

You can see how Gilders families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gilders family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1880 and 1920. The most Gilders families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 43 Gilders families living in Essex. This was about 70% of all the recorded Gilders's in United Kingdom. Essex had the highest population of Gilders families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gilders 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 Gilders ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, School Master and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Gilders. 100% of Gilders men worked as a School Master and 100% of Gilders women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Gilders | 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

  • School Master
    100%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    100%

What Gilders family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Gilders

Passenger Lists

There are 292 immigration records available for the last name Gilders. 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 98 military records available for the last name Gilders. For the veterans among your Gilders ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Gilders lifespan?

Between 1973 and 2003, in the United States, Gilders life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2002, and highest in 1979. The average life expectancy for Gilders in 1973 was 79, and 82 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gilders

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gilders 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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