Explore the Family Name Gilles
The meaning of Gilles
1. French, Walloon, and Haitian: from the French personal name Gilles of which the original form was Latin Aegidius. This was the name of a 7th-century Provençal hermit, whose cult popularized the name in a variety of more or less mutilated forms: Gidi and Gidy in southern France, Gil(l)i in the area of the Alpes-Maritimes, and Gil(l)e elsewhere. This last form was taken over to England by the Normans (see Giles 1). 2. German: from the personal name Gilius, from Aegilius, a Late Latin variant of Aegidius (see Giles 1). 3. Scottish and Irish (Fermanagh): variant of Gillies. Some characteristic forenames: French/Haitian Jacques, Pierre, Amie, Arsene, Berthony, Ghislaine, Gilles, Jean Marie, Jean-Baptiste, Maryse, Maxime, Odette.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Gilles in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Gilles has seen slight changes in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked as the 8103rd most popular surname, moving to 8082nd a decade later, an increase of 0.26%. The number of people bearing this surname also experienced growth over this period, with the count escalating from 3770 in 2000 to 4102 by 2010, marking an increase of 8.81%. However, when considering proportion per 100,000 people, there was a minor decrease of -0.71%, with the figure dropping from 1.4 in 2000 to 1.39 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #8,103 | #8,082 | 0.26% |
| Count | 3,770 | 4,102 | 8.81% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.4 | 1.39 | -0.71% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Gilles
Discussing the ethnic identity associated with the surname Gilles, it's interesting to note how diverse distributions have shifted over time. The Decennial U.S. Census data shows that the predominant ethnicity linked to this surname is White, which saw a decrease from 79.39% in 2000 to 75.28% in 2010, a change of -5.18%. The Black community under this surname saw a notable increase of 23.50%, rising from 15.36% to 18.97%. There was also significant growth in the Hispanic group, surging by 57.22% from 1.94% in 2000 to 3.05% in 2010. Meanwhile, those identifying as belonging to two or more races decreased substantially by -26.36%. The Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native categories remained relatively stable, experiencing minimal changes of 1.89% and 2.50% respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 79.39% | 75.28% | -5.18% |
| Black | 15.36% | 18.97% | 23.5% |
| Hispanic | 1.94% | 3.05% | 57.22% |
| Two or More Races | 2.39% | 1.76% | -26.36% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.53% | 0.54% | 1.89% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.4% | 0.41% | 2.5% |
Gilles ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Gilles is French & German, which comprises 42.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (27.9%) and Scandinavian (7.1%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Spanish & Portuguese, Italian, Nigerian, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| French & German | 42.7% |
| British & Irish | 27.9% |
| Scandinavian | 7.1% |
| Other | 22.2% |
Possible origins of the surname Gilles
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Gilles have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 62.00% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 62.00% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 62.00% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 62.00% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 61.10% |
What Gilles haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Gilles is R-U152, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-U152 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-M405 and R-L2, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Kuhn, Remy, Lombardi, Eaton, Hitchcock, Steiger, Cave, Foss, Schuler, Ferrari.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Gilles surname are: H1, H, U5a1. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Gilles have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Gilles" Surname 53.1%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Gilles" Surname 20.8%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Gilles" Surname 20.9%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Gilles" Surname 21.1%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Gilles?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Gilles are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition