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

Gilles Family History

Gilles Name Meaning

French Walloon and Haitian: from the French personal name Gilles of which the original form was Latin Aegidius. This was the name of a 7th-century Provençal hermit whose cult popularized the name in a variety of more or less mutilated forms: Gidi and Gidy in southern France Gil(l)i in the area of the Alpes-Maritimes and Gil(l)e elsewhere. This last form was taken over to England by the Normans (see Giles ). German: from the personal name Gilius from Aegilius a Late Latin variant of Aegidius (see Giles ). Scottish and Irish (Fermanagh): variant of Gillies .

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


Similar surnames: Gillen, Illes, Gille, Gillet, Giles, Galles, Giller, Gillem, Tilles

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 Gilles family from?

You can see how Gilles families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gilles family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gilles families were found in Canada in 1911. In 1911 there were 212 Gilles families living in Nova Scotia. This was about 41% of all the recorded Gilles's in Canada. Nova Scotia had the highest population of Gilles families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gilles surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Gilles ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Gilles. 56% of Gilles men worked as a Farmer and 35% of Gilles women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gilles were Farmers Son and Servant. .

View Census Data for Gilles | 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 1921

  • Farmer
    56%
  • Labourer
    9%
  • Carpenter
    7%
  • Farmers Son
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Stenographer
    35%
  • Housekeeper
    18%
  • Farmer
    18%
  • Servant
    14%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Gilles family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 24,000 census records available for the last name Gilles. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gilles census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Gilles

Passenger Lists

There are 6,000 immigration records available for the last name Gilles. 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 Gilles immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Gilles. For the veterans among your Gilles ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gilles military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gilles family history

Discover More

What is the average Gilles lifespan?

Between 1953 and 2004, in the United States, Gilles life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1957, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Gilles in 1953 was 45, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gilles

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Gilles family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Gilles last name

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