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Gillenwater Family History

Gillenwater Name Meaning

Altered form of English Gillingwater which Reaney suggests is probably a topographic name from Old English gylden ‘yellow’ + wæter ‘water stream’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Gissendanner, Ballester, Goodwater, Gillett, Clearwater, Gillen

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Gillenwater family from?

You can see how Gillenwater families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gillenwater family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Gillenwater families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there was 1 Gillenwater family living in Virginia. This was 100% of all the recorded Gillenwater's in USA. Virginia had the highest population of Gillenwater families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gillenwater surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Gillenwater ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Gillenwater. 22% of Gillenwater men worked as a Farmer and 17% of Gillenwater women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gillenwater were Farm Laborer and Seamstress. .

View Census Data for Gillenwater | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    22%
  • Laborer
    22%
  • Truck Driver
    6%
  • Farm Laborer
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    17%
  • Housekeeper
    17%
  • Maid
    15%
  • Seamstress
    9%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Gillenwater family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 5,000 census records available for the last name Gillenwater. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gillenwater census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Gillenwater

Passenger Lists

There are 141 immigration records available for the last name Gillenwater. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Gillenwater immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Gillenwater. For the veterans among your Gillenwater ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gillenwater military records

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What is the average Gillenwater lifespan?

Between 1955 and 2004, in the United States, Gillenwater life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1958, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Gillenwater in 1955 was 63, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gillenwater

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