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Show ContentsGill History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
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Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

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The distinguished Gill family, which is intricately woven into the intricate tapestry of Scottish history, probably finds its origin with the proud Norman people.

However, Gille or Gillebert (fl. 1105-1145), Bishop of Limerick, "termed by Keating Giolla Easbog, was consecrated in Ireland, but it is uncertain whether he was an Irishman or a Dane, Limerick being then a Danish city. " 1

How this very early entry fits into the history of the family is uncertain, but we include in as a point of reference.

Early Origins of the Gill family

The surname Gill was first found in Yorkshire, where the Domesday Book of 1086 listed Ghille, Ghile, Ghil. 2 Gamel filius Gille was a Knights Templar in Yorkshire in 1185. Johannes films Gille was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Yorkshire in 1297. 3

Some of the family were also found in Lincolnshire where Henricus filius Gllli, Gille was listed in the Pipe Rolls of 1200. Two years later, Ralph, Robert Gille was listed in the Assize Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1202.

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed: Richard filius Gille, Cambridgeshire; Gille Hulle, Cambridgeshire; and Roger Gille, Oxfordshire. 4

Henry Gille moved the family name to Cumberland in 1200 and the family gave its name to the village of Gilsland, a watering-place, in the parish of Lanercost-Abbey, Eskdale ward, E. division of Cumberland. 5

And it is this branch of the family that we will now focus. "A tradition held by members of the Aberdeen [Scotland] family of this name is that they came originally from Cumberland, where at an early period they owned lands, among others the barony of Gillsland. Gilsland, one of three original baronies in Cumberland, is spelled Gillesland in 1240, and may have been the possession of one Gilli or Gille. Gilli is an old West Scandinavian personal name, borrowed at an earlier period directly from OG. gilla, 'a servant,' or from a pet form of one of the numerous Gaelic names in Gilla-, as Gillebride, Gillechrist, etc. The abbreviated form was not used by Gaels as a proper name, but such usage originated among the Vikings in the West. The surname is of great antiquity on both sides of the Border. Gille filius Boed was one of the witnesses to Earl David's Inquisitio concerning the lands of the church of Glasgow, a. 1124. This Gille son of Boed or Boet stands on a pedestal unique, perhaps in Scottish history, as the last Scottish chieftain to hold sway in England against the power of the Norman." 6

Indeed the lion's share of the family claim Scotland as their homeland.

Early History of the Gill family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gill research. Another 202 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1241, 1296, 1328, 1330, 1333, 1366, 1369, 1389, 1460, 1564, 1565, 1583, 1586, 1589, 1597, 1635, 1642, 1658, 1659, 1690, 1697, 1771 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Gill History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gill Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Gill, Gille, Gills, Gilles, Gyll, Gylls and others.

Early Notables of the Gill family

Notable among the family at this time was

  • Alexander Gill the Elder (1565-1635), High-Master of St. Paul's School, born in Lincolnshire 7 Feb. 1564, was admitted scholar of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, in September 1583, and proceeded B.A...
  • John Gill (1697-1771), an English Baptist pastor, biblical scholar, and theologian from Kettering, Northamptonshire. 1

Gill World Ranking

In the United States, the name Gill is the 424th most popular surname with an estimated 67,149 people with that name. 7 However, in Canada, the name Gill is ranked the 91st most popular surname with an estimated 28,836 people with that name. 8 And in Quebec, Canada, the name Gill is the 790th popular surname. 9 Newfoundland, Canada ranks Gill as 234th with 189 people. 10 Australia ranks Gill as 200th with 16,331 people. 11 New Zealand ranks Gill as 212nd with 2,679 people. 12 The United Kingdom ranks Gill as 138th with 36,767 people. 13

Ireland Migration of the Gill family to Ireland

Some of the Gill family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 50 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

United States Gill migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Gill Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Allexander Gill, aged 20, who arrived in Virginia in 1623 aboard the ship "Bonnie Bess" 14
  • Arthur Gill, who settled in Maine in 1630
  • Jon Gill, who arrived in Virginia in 1633 14
  • Jo Gill, aged 34, who landed in Virginia in 1635 aboard the ship "Paul" 14
  • Mark Gill, aged 22, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 aboard the ship "Globe" 14
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Gill Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Hugh Gill, who landed in Virginia in 1703 14
  • kaiak Gill, who landed in Virginia in 1703 14
  • Jos Gill, who arrived in Virginia in 1704 14
  • Frances Gill, who landed in Virginia in 1713 14
  • Henry Gill, who settled in South Carolina in 1716
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Gill Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • John, Gill Jr., who arrived in New York in 1807 14
  • Matthew Gill, who arrived in New York in 1807 14
  • Arthur Gill, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1807 14
  • George Gill, who landed in New York in 1807 14
  • Anthony Gill, who arrived in Baltimore, Maryland in 1811 14
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Gill migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Gill Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Patrick Gill, who was a servant in Little Placentia, Newfoundland in 1730 15
  • Michael Gill from Charlestown (New England) was a merchant of St. John's, Newfoundland in 1730 15
  • Capt Gill, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749
  • John Gill from Wimborne, Dorset, was an apprentice at Carbonear in 1777
Gill Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • John Gill, aged 21, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Sea Horse" from Galway, Ireland
  • Anne Gill, aged 25, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Preston" from Sligo, Ireland
  • Rose Gill, aged 3, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Preston" from Sligo, Ireland
  • John Gill, aged 23, a boatman, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Perseus" in 1834
  • Henry Gill, aged 18, a farmer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Perseus" in 1834
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Australia Gill migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Gill Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century
  • Miss Sarah Gill, English convict who was convicted in Bristol, England for 7 years , transported aboard the "Britannia III" on 18th July 1798, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 16
Gill Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Joseph Gill, (Stiles), English convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Baring" in April 1815, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 17
  • Mr. Laurence Gill, (Gills), (b. 1801), aged 19, Irish baker who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for 7 years for theft, transported aboard the "Dorothy" on 5th May 1820, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1891 18
  • Mr. Martin Gill, (b. 1803), aged 17, Irish silk weaver who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Dorothy" on 5th May 1820, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 18
  • Mr. John Gill who was convicted in Liverpool, Merseyside, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Dick" on 2nd October 1820, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 19
  • Mr. William Gill, British Convict who was convicted in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Earl St Vincent" on 20th April 1826, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 20
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Gill Settlers in Australia in the 20th Century
  • Mr. Reuben Gill, (b. 1889), aged 20, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Whakatane" arriving in Queensland, Australia on 21st January 1910 21

New Zealand Gill migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Gill Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • William Gill, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1841
  • John Gill, aged 23, a farm labourer, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Gertrude" in 1841 22
  • Amelia Gill, aged 33, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Gertrude" in 1841 22
  • Frederick Gill, aged 1, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Gertrude" in 1841 22
  • John Gill, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1842
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

West Indies Gill migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 23
Gill Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • Mr. Thomas Gill, (b. 1605), aged 30, British settler traveling aboard the ship "William and John" arriving in St Christopher (Saint Kitts) in 1635 24

Contemporary Notables of the name Gill (post 1700) +

  • Robert Charles "Bob" Gill (1931-2021), American illustrator and graphic designer, known for his work with Esquire, Architectural Forum, Fortune, Seventeen, and The Nation magazines
  • Riley Gill (b. 1985), American professional ice hockey goaltender
  • Harold Priestley Gill III (b. 1975), American professional NHL ice hockey defenseman
  • Irving John "Jack' Gill (1870-1936), American architect, a pioneer of the modern movement in architecture
  • Eddie Gill (b. 1978), American professional basketball player
  • Johnny Gill (b. 1966), American singer, songwriter and actor
  • Vincent Grant "Vince" Gill (b. 1957), American country singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, awarded 18 CMA Awards, 20 Grammy Awards, more than any other male Country music artist
  • Theodore Nicholas Gill (1837-1914), American ichthyologist, mammalogist, malacologist and librarian, Professor of zoology at George Washington University
  • Major-General William Hanson Gill (1886-1976), American Commanding General 32nd Division, New Guinea-Philippines (1943-1946) 25
  • Lesley Gill, American author and a professor of anthropology at Vanderbilt University
  • ... (Another 109 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Empress of Ireland
  • Mr. James Philip Gill (d. 1914), British Bedroom Steward from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 26
  • Mr. Nathaniel Gill, British Saloon Pantryman from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland (1914) and survived the sinking 26
  • Mr. Martin Gill (1891-1914), Canadian Third Class Passenger from Nelson, British Columbia, Canada who survived the sinking on the Empress of Ireland 27
HMS Prince of Wales
  • Mr. Hugh Irwin Goddard Gill, British Sub Lieutenant (A), who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking, also sailed aboard the HMS Mauritius 28
  • Mr. David Gill, British Able Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and died in the sinking 28
HMS Repulse
  • Mr. Alfred George Gill, British Corporal, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and died in the sinking 29
  • Mr. T R V Gill, British Signalman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 29
  • Mr. Harold Brittan Clifford Gill, British Lieutenant Commander, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 29
HMS Royal Oak
  • Harold William Gill (d. 1939), British Leading Stoker with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 30
  • George Edward Gill (1918-1939), British Stoker 1st Class with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 30
Lady of the Lake
  • Miss Mary Gill (b. 1818), Irish traveller from Castlebay, Scotland who sailed aboard the "Lady of the Lake" from Greenock, Scotland on 8th April 1833 to Quebec, Canada when the ship hit ice and sunk of the coast of Newfoundland on the 11th May 1833 and she died in the sinking
RMS Lusitania
  • Mrs. Catherine Gill, American 2nd Class passenger from Gillespie, Illinois, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking and was recovered 31
RMS Titanic
  • Mr. Joseph Stanley Gill (d. 1912), aged 34, English Bedroom Steward from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking and was recovered by CS Mackay-Bennett 32
  • Mr. Patrick Gill (d. 1912), aged 38, English Ship's Cook from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 32
  • Mr. John William Gill (d. 1912), aged 24, English Second Class passenger from Clevedon, North Somerset England who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking and was recovered by CS Mackay-Bennett 32
USS Arizona
  • Mr. Richard Eugene Gill, American Seaman First Class from Nevada, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 33

The Gill Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: In te Domine spes nostra
Motto Translation: Our hope is in thee, O Lord

Suggested Readings for the name Gill +

  • Baxter-Short, Miller-Gill, and Related Families by Mary Cynthia Harrell.
  • The Descendants of Thomas & Sarah (Bennett) Gill and Related Families, Including English Emigrants, Palatines, Puritans, Mayflower Immigrants, and Royal Lineage by Vivian York Simms.
  1. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  2. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  3. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  4. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  5. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  6. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  7. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  8. "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
  9. "The first 1,000 family names by rank, Quebec (in French only)" Institut de la statistique du Quebec, https://statistique.quebec.ca/en/document/family-names-in-quebec/tableau/the-first-1000-family-names-by-rank-quebec
  10. The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
  11. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  12. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  13. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  14. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  15. Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
  16. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 30th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Britannia
  17. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/baring
  18. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 12th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/dorothy
  19. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 8th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Dick
  20. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th September 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-st-vincent
  21. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retreived 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_australia_queensland.pdf
  22. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 12th December 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  23. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  24. Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's (Retrieved October 4th 2021 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  25. Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2012, March 5) William Gill. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Gill/William_Hanson/USA.html
  26. Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
  27. Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 16) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
  28. HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
  29. HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
  30. Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html
  31. Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 7) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
  32. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html
  33. Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html
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