|
![Show Contents]() Gillit History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England
Gillit is a name that first reached England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. It comes from a diminution of the medieval given name Giles. That name is derived from the Greek aigidion, which means kid, or young goat. 1 "In England there are numerous families who write their name Gillett and Gillot, all of French extraction." 2 "Oxfordshire is now the principal home of the Gilletts, but the name is also found in Kent. In Lincolnshire the name is represented by Gilliart, Gilliatt, and Gillyatt." 3 "The family may have come with William the Conqueror into England, from Gillette, a town in Piedmont, France. Gillette, the son of Giles." 4 Early Origins of the Gillit familyThe surname Gillit was first found in Oxfordshire, but also many other shires throughout ancient Britain. Listed as both a forename and surname in many early rolls, the name quickly spread. This tradition continued even until the 14th century where the Yorkshire Polls Tax Rolls of 1379 list: Thomas Taylour et Gillot uxor ejus; Robertus Lyster et Gillot' uxor ejus; Gillote Fox; Johannes Gilotson; Willelmus Gilliote; Johannes Undyrhyll et Gyllot' uxor ejus; Willelmus Gehot; and Johannes Gylyott. 5 Early History of the Gillit familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gillit research. Another 68 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gillit History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Gillit Spelling VariationsBefore the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Gillit family name include Gillette, Gilliott, Gillet, Gillott, Gillett and others. Early Notables of the Gillit familyMore information is included under the topic Early Gillit Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
 Gillit migration to the United States | + |
To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Gillit family to immigrate North America:
Gillit Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- H Gillit, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 6
- Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
- Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- 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)
|
Gillit migration to the United States 
