Gill Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Gill last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Gill last name
Meaning of the Gill last name: dweller by a ravine, or from Gilbert. Gill has several separate origins. In northern England it often comes from the Norse word gil, "ravine", still used for the steep wooded valleys of Yorkshire and Cumbria. Elsewhere it is a pet form of Gilbert or Giles. In Scotland and Ireland it can shorten Gaelic names beginning with Mac Giolla, "son of the servant". A curious detail: the name is especially frequent on the Isle of Man.
Arms associated with the Gill name
English heraldry loves puns, with pictures chosen to match the sound of a name, and families like the Gills often enjoyed that playful custom.
Get your full Gill family history
This is only a glimpse of the Gill story. The full Gill history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Gill coat of arms. Get the full Gill report.
Gill name FAQ
What does the Gill name mean?
Dweller by a ravine, or from Gilbert. Common variants include Gell, Gills, McGill.
Where does the Gill surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Ireland and Scotland.
Is there a Gill coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Gill coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; George F. Black, The Surnames of Scotland (New York Public Library, 1946); Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford); US Census Bureau 2010.