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Gilman Family History

Gilman Surname Meaning

English: from a personal name Old French Guillemin Anglo-Norman French Willemin pet forms of Guillelmes Guillaumes and Willelmes (see William).

Altered form of German Gillmann (see Gillman).

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


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Where is the Gilman family from?

You can see how Gilman families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gilman family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gilman families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 163 Gilman families living in Lancashire. This was about 20% of all the recorded Gilman's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Gilman families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gilman 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 Gilman ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Gilman. 15% of Gilman men worked as a General Labourer and 68% of Gilman women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gilman were Joiner and House Wife.

View Census Data for Gilman | 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

  • General Labourer
    15%
  • Dairy Farmer
    11%
  • Farm Labourer
    8%
  • Joiner
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    68%
  • Private Means
    4%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • House Wife
    3%

What Gilman family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 90,000 census records available for the last name Gilman. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gilman census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Gilman

Passenger Lists

There are 11,000 immigration records available for the last name Gilman. 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 Gilman immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 19,000 military records available for the last name Gilman. For the veterans among your Gilman ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gilman military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gilman family history

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What is the average Gilman lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Gilman life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1940, and highest in 1944. The average life expectancy for Gilman in 1940 was 36, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gilman

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gilman 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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