The distinguished surname Gil comes from Spain, a country rich in culture and history. The earliest forms of hereditary surnames in Spain were the patronymic surnames, which are derived from the father's given name, and metronymic surnames, which are derived from the mother's given name. Spanish patronymic names emerged as early as the mid-9th century and the most common patronymic suffix is "ez." The patronyms were derived from a variety of given names that were of many different origins. Some names are derived from the saints of the Christian Church, but many Spanish surnames are derived from personal names of Germanic origin. The Visigoths, who ruled Spain between the mid-5th and early 8th centuries had a profound impact on the development of surnames.
The surname Gil was first found in the mountains of Santander, in the region of Cantabria, in the center north of the peninsula.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gil research. Another 96 words (7 lines of text) covering the year 1200 is included under the topic Early Gil History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Spelling variations of this family name include: Gil, Gill, Gílez, Gilez, Gíldez, Gildez and others.
Prominent among members of the family thirteenth century author Juan Gil de Zamora; thirteenth century nobleman Roy Gil de Villalobos; sixteenth century Spanish architect Juan Gil de Hontañón, creator of the Gothic cathedrals of Salamanca and Segovia; his son, Rodrigo...
Another 40 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gil Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.