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Origins of the Gilbert surname

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What does the name Gilbert mean?

Gilbert is an English surname with Saxon origins. It is hypothesised to be a patronymic name, deriving from someone who was the son of 'Giselbert', 'Gib' or 'Gilbert'. These particular given names were especially popular in England during the medieval period.

Alternative variations of the name Gilbert

Gilbert, Gillbert, Gilberte, Gilburt, Gilbirt

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Where do most Gilberts live?

In 1921, most Gilberts lived in London.


Census records trace your ancestors through each generation, so you can follow where your relatives lived through each decade.

Interesting facts about Gilberts

How common is your surname?

202nd most common surname in the UK

We have 177,000 records for the Gilbert surname. The oldest one dates back to 1100.

Who were Gilberts most likely to marry?

Smiths

&

Williamses

Our Marriage record sets tell us which families married Gilberts.

What are the most common Gilbert first names?

  • John
  • William
  • Mary
  • Elizabeth

Our birth record sets tell us the names of Gilbert family members

Common jobs for Gilberts

Men and women often performed different types of jobs, so these are displayed by gender to maintain their historical accuracy.

Common Female occupations for Gilberts in 1921
Dressmaker

758

Domestic Servant

465

Laundress

440

General Servant Domestic

418

House Servant

339

Common Male occupations for Gilberts in 1921
Agricultural Labourer

1,089

General Labourer

664

Carpenter

640

Farm Labourer

588

Farmer

557

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Census records provide incredible detail on names, ages, marital statuses, occupations and more.

We found over 210,000 family trees with the Gilbert surname

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