Gillett Family History

Gillett Surname Meaning

English: when pronounced with a soft G (/dʒ/) it is usually from the Middle English (Old French) personal name Gillet, Gilot, Giliot, or Geliot. These are diminutives of Gille or Gilly, which are commonly pet forms of the (often female) name Gilian, Gelian (see Gillian). Gilot and Gillet are also probably pet forms of Giles.

English (of Norman origin): when pronounced with hard G it is more likely from the Middle English personal name Gilot, a borrowing of Old French Guillot, a pet form of Guillaume (see William) and a doublet of Willett.

English: habitational name from one or other of the numerous minor places called Gillhead such as those in the parishes of Matterdale, Moresby, Castle Sowerby, and Westward (all Cumberland), formed from Middle English gil(le) ‘ravine, narrow valley’ (Old Norse gil) + hed, heved ‘head’. This would become Gillett, with hard g.

English: sometimes perhaps a variant of Gillard. Altered form of French Gillet (usually) reflecting the Canadian and American French practice of sounding the final -t. Compare Gillette.

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

Similar surnames: Gillet, Tillett, Millett, Willett, Pellett, Gilbert, Guillet, Giller, Gille, Gillem

798,000 record(s) for Gillett

140K	Birth, Marriage, and Deaths
11K	Military Records
8K	Immigration Records
131K	Census and Voter Lists
505K	Member Trees

Where is the Gillett family from?

You can see how Gillett families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gillett family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gillett families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 91 Gillett families living in New York. This was about 28% of all the recorded Gillett's in USA. New York had the highest population of Gillett families in 1840.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gillett surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Gillett ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Gillett. 21% of Gillett men worked as a Farmer and 12% of Gillett women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gillett were Carpenter and Teacher.

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

21%

Laborer

11%

Salesman

8%

Carpenter

6%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

Housewife

12%

Housekeeper

8%

Maid

6%

Teacher

6%

What Gillett family records will you find?

Census Record

There are 131K census records available for the last name Gillett. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gillett census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Passenger List

There are 8K immigration records available for the last name Gillett. 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.

Military Records

There are 11K military records available for the last name Gillett. For the veterans among your Gillett ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

What is the average Gillett lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Gillett life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Gillett in 1944 was 24, and 72 in 2004.

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gillett ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.