Show ContentsGillieson History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Gillieson family

The surname Gillieson was first found in Dumfriesshire and in Warwickshire at Gilson, a hamlet that dates back to 1232 AD. Gilston is a village near Harlow in the county of Hertfordshire. It dates back to 1197 when it was first listed as Gedelston and literally meant "farmstead or village of a man called Gedel or Gydel," from the Old English personal name + "tun." 1

Early History of the Gillieson family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gillieson research. Another 82 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1150 and 1500 are included under the topic Early Gillieson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gillieson Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Gillson, Gilson, Gillieson and others.

Early Notables of the Gillieson family

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

Ireland Migration of the Gillieson family to Ireland

Some of the Gillieson family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Gillieson family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Doctor Gillson who settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1764; followed by Mr. Gillson in 1768; Ann Gilson settled in New England in 1635; Edward Gilson settled in Virginia in 1670.


Contemporary Notables of the name Gillieson (post 1700) +

  • Rev. W. Plan Gillieson, British Royal Army Chaplains' Department, awarded the Military Cross at the 1919 New Year Honours
  • Mary Gillieson Cook, British driector of Personnel Director, BIP Chemicals Ltd., awarded an OBE at the 1984 New Year Honours


  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)


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