Contents [hide]

Gill History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand West Indies

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Sources

Gill History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Spain

Etymology of Gill

What does the name Gill mean?

The distinguished surname Gill 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.

Early Origins of the Gill family

The surname Gill was first found in the mountains of Santander, in the region of Cantabria, in the center north of the peninsula.

Early History of the Gill family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gill research. Another 96 words (7 lines of text) covering the year 1200 is 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: Gil, Gill, Gílez, Gilez, Gíldez, Gildez and others.

Early Notables of the Gill 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 Gil de Hontañón, also an architect...
Another 40 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gill Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gill World Ranking

the United States, the name Gill is the 424^th most popular surname with an estimated 67,149 people with that name. 1 However, in Canada, the name Gill is ranked the 91^st most popular surname with an estimated 28,836 people with that name. 2 And in Quebec, Canada, the name Gill is the 790^th popular surname. 3 Newfoundland, Canada ranks Gill as 234^th with 189 people. 4 Australia ranks Gill as 200^th with 16,331 people. 5 New Zealand ranks Gill as 212^nd with 2,679 people. 6 The United Kingdom ranks Gill as 138^th with 36,767 people. 7

Gill migration to the United States +

Gill Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Allexander Gill, aged 20, who arrived in Virginia in 1623 aboard the ship "Bonnie Bess" 9
Arthur Gill, who settled in Maine in 1630
Jon Gill, who arrived in Virginia in 1633 9
Mark Gill, aged 22, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 aboard the ship "Globe" 9
Jo Gill, aged 34, who landed in Virginia in 1635 aboard the ship "Paul" 9
... (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 9
kaiak Gill, who landed in Virginia in 1703 9
Jos Gill, who arrived in Virginia in 1704 9
Frances Gill, who landed in Virginia in 1713 9
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

Matthew Gill, who arrived in New York in 1807 9
John, Gill Jr., who arrived in New York in 1807 9
Arthur Gill, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1807 9
George Gill, who landed in New York in 1807 9
Anthony Gill, who arrived in Baltimore, Maryland in 1811 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Gill migration to Canada +

Gill Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Patrick Gill, who was a servant in Little Placentia, Newfoundland in 1730 10
Michael Gill from Charlestown (New England) was a merchant of St. John's, Newfoundland in 1730 10
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.)

Gill migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia included the First Fleet and Second Fleet of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

First Fleet

Miss Amelia Gill, (b. 1744), aged 45, British settler convicted in Yorkshire, England in 1787, sentenced to 7 years for stealing fabric, transported aboard the ship "Neptune" leaving in 1789 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1790 8

Second Fleet

Mr. Hugh Gill, British settler convicted in Cheshire, England in 1789, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Admiral Barrington" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 9

Following the First and Second Fleets, other convicts and early settlers arriving in Australia 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 11

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 12
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 13
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 13
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 14
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) 15
... (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 16

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 17
Amelia Gill, aged 33, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Gertrude" in 1841 17
Frederick Gill, aged 1, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Gertrude" in 1841 17
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.)

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. 18

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 19

Contemporary Notables of the name Gill (post 1700) +

Tim Gill (b. 1953), American computer software programmer, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and LGBTQ rights activist, one of the first openly gay people to be on the Forbes 400 list of America's richest people, recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2024
Bobby Gill (1959-2024), American professional stock car racing driver
DeLancey Walker Gill (1859-1940), American drafter, landscape painter, and photographer, best known for his landscape illustrations and watercolors, featuring subjects including Native American pueblos
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
... (Another 112 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Gill family +

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 20
Mr. Nathaniel Gill, British Saloon Pantryman from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland (1914) and survived the sinking 21
Mr. Martin Gill (1891-1914), Canadian Third Class Passenger from Nelson, British Columbia, Canada who survived the sinking on the Empress of Ireland 21
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 22
Mr. David Gill, British Able Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and died in the sinking 23
... (Another 12 entries are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Sources +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
"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
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)
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 4th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships
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)
Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 30th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Britannia
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/baring
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 12th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/dorothy
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 8th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Dick
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th September 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-st-vincent
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retreived 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_australia_queensland.pdf
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 12th December 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's (Retrieved October 4th 2021 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 16) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html