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Gillen Family History

Gillen Surname Meaning

Irish (Sligo and Antrim): variant of Gillan or a shortened form of McGillen.

German: variant of Gilbert.

See also Gille.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Gillen family from?

You can see how Gillen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gillen family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gillen families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 64 Gillen families living in Ontario. This was about 37% of all the recorded Gillen's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Gillen families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gillen 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 Gillen ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Gillen. 39% of Gillen men worked as a Farmer and 43% of Gillen women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gillen were Clerk and Operator.

View Census Data for Gillen | 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
    39%
  • Labourer
    11%
  • Laborer
    8%
  • Clerk
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Teacher
    43%
  • Clerk
    15%
  • Student
    15%
  • Operator
    15%

What Gillen family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 53,000 census records available for the last name Gillen. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gillen census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Gillen

Passenger Lists

There are 9,000 immigration records available for the last name Gillen. 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 Gillen immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Gillen military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gillen family history

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What is the average Gillen lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Gillen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Gillen in 1943 was 33, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gillen

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

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