Gillete History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Gillete is one of the names that was brought to England in the wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Gillete family name 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 Gillete family

The surname Gillete 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 Gillete family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gillete research. Another 68 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gillete History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gillete Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence in the eras before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate regularly changed the spellings of their names as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Gillete have been found, including Gillette, Gilliott, Gillet, Gillott, Gillett and others.

Early Notables of the Gillete family

More information is included under the topic Early Gillete Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Gillete family

For many English families, the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. For such families, the shores of Ireland, Australia, and the New World beckoned. They left their homeland at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. Many arrived after the long voyage sick, starving, and without a penny. But even those were greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. Numerous English settlers who arrived in the United States and Canada at this time went on to make important contributions to the developing cultures of those countries. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Gillete were among those contributors: Jonathan and Nathan Gillett sailed in the " John and Mary" and settled in Dorchester in 1635 where they became Freemen. Joseph Gillott arrived in New York State in 1830..

Contemporary Notables of the name Gillete (post 1700) +

Lester S. Gillete, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Iowa 8th District, 1944; Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Iowa, 1952 6
Herbert R. Gillete, American Republican politician, Candidate for Presidential Elector for Michigan, 1932 6

Citations +

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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 9) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html