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Gilla Family History

Gilla Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Gill, Villa, Galla, Golla, Lilla, Gille, Pilla, Silla, Gills, Gillan

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Gilla family from?

You can see how Gilla families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gilla family name was found in the USA, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gilla families were found in USA in 1880, and Canada in 1911. In 1841 there was 1 Gilla family living in Midlothian. This was 100% of all the recorded Gilla's in Scotland. Midlothian had the highest population of Gilla families in 1841.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gilla surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1841
  • 1851
  • 1871
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What did your Gilla ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Machinist and Clerk were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Gilla. 14% of Gilla men worked as a Machinist and 60% of Gilla women worked as a Clerk. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gilla were Truck Driver and Maid.

View Census Data for Gilla | 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

  • Machinist
    14%
  • Laborer
    14%
  • Farmer
    10%
  • Truck Driver
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Clerk
    60%
  • Maid
    40%

What Gilla family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Gilla. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gilla census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Gilla

Passenger Lists

There are 269 immigration records available for the last name Gilla. 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 Gilla immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 274 military records available for the last name Gilla. For the veterans among your Gilla ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gilla military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gilla family history

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What is the average Gilla lifespan?

Between 1964 and 2001, in the United States, Gilla life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1981, and highest in 1988. The average life expectancy for Gilla in 1964 was 66, and 75 in 2001.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gilla

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gilla 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Gilla family tree

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