History of your Surname
Get access to Gilgen family records.Start a free trial

Gilgen Family History

Gilgen Name Meaning

German and Swiss German: habitational name from the inflected form of a house name meaning ‘at the lily’ based on Middle High German lilge gilge ‘lily’ or from a place called Sankt Ägidi near Passau for instance (compare Gilger ).

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


Similar surnames: Gilger, Wilden, Glen, Giller, Millen, Ilgen, Hilden, Gillen, Ringen

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Gilgen family from?

You can see how Gilgen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gilgen family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Gilgen families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 3 Gilgen families living in Ontario. This was 100% of all the recorded Gilgen's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Gilgen families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gilgen surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Gilgen ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Gilgen. 34% of Gilgen men worked as a Farmer and 43% of Gilgen women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gilgen were Brush Cutter and Eggcandler. .

View Census Data for Gilgen | 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, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    34%
  • Laborer
    25%
  • Operator
    9%
  • Brush Cutter
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    43%
  • Maid
    29%
  • Eggcandler
    29%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Gilgen family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search Canadian census records for Gilgen

Passenger Lists

There are 324 immigration records available for the last name Gilgen. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Gilgen immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 626 military records available for the last name Gilgen. For the veterans among your Gilgen ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gilgen military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gilgen family history

Discover More

What is the average Gilgen lifespan?

Between 1954 and 2004, in the United States, Gilgen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1975, and highest in 1992. The average life expectancy for Gilgen in 1954 was 63, and 85 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gilgen

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Gilgen family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Gilgen last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial