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Gil Family History

Gil Surname Meaning

Spanish, Catalan, and Portuguese: from the personal name Gil, from French Gille(s), from Latin Aegidius (see Giles). German: from a vernacular short form of the medieval personal name Aegilius, a later form of Latin Aegidius (see Giles). Compare Gill.

Polish: from gil ‘bullfinch’, probably a nickname for a simpleton. This surname is also found in Germany. Compare Gill.

Irish and Scottish (Morayshire): variant of Gill.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Gil family from?

You can see how Gil families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gil family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gil families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 4 Gil families living in Manitoba. This was about 40% of all the recorded Gil's in Canada. Manitoba had the highest population of Gil families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gil 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 Gil ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and New Worker were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Gil. 44% of Gil men worked as a Laborer and 18% of Gil women worked as a New Worker. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gil were Cigar Maker and Maid.

View Census Data for Gil | 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

  • Laborer
    44%
  • Farmer
    8%
  • Clerk
    6%
  • Cigar Maker
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • New Worker
    18%
  • Laborer
    15%
  • Housewife
    15%
  • Maid
    9%

What Gil family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 23,000 census records available for the last name Gil. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gil census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Gil

Passenger Lists

There are 21,000 immigration records available for the last name Gil. 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 Gil immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 11,000 military records available for the last name Gil. For the veterans among your Gil ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gil military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gil family history

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What is the average Gil lifespan?

Between 1948 and 2004, in the United States, Gil life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Gil in 1948 was 50, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gil

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gil 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 Gil family tree

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