2000
#2,770
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 11,948
First available Census row
Per 100,000 4.43
Uncommon Last name
Gilman
A surname of Old English origin referring to a servant or follower of a man named Gill or Gilbert.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 12,757 Americans carry the last name Gilman. That puts it at #3,166 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.72 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 26,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gilman surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Gilman with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
13K
1 in 26,868
Census rank
#3,166
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
11K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 11,125 bearers of the surname Gilman in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.72 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3166th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gilman, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gilman
The surname Gilman originated in England, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to be a variant of the name Gillman, derived from the Old English personal name Gilla, meaning "servant." The suffix "man" was commonly added to such names during that era.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Gilman name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Gilleman." This historical record suggests that individuals bearing this surname were present in England shortly after the Norman Conquest.
In the 13th century, the name was recorded in various forms, including Gilman, Gillman, and Gylman. These variations likely stemmed from regional dialects and spellings used at the time. The surname was particularly prevalent in counties like Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex.
Gilman is also associated with several place names in England, such as Gilmanby in Yorkshire and Gilmanroad in Norfolk. These locations may have influenced the development and spread of the surname within their respective regions.
One notable bearer of the Gilman name was John Gilman (c. 1565-1638), an English clergyman and one of the earliest settlers of Hingham, Massachusetts. He played a significant role in the establishment of the Puritan colony in New England.
Another prominent figure was Samuel Gilman (1698-1787), a colonial leader and merchant from Exeter, New Hampshire. He served as a member of the Provincial Congress and was involved in the American Revolutionary War.
In literature, Arthur Gilman (1837-1909) was a renowned American author and poet, best known for his works "The Story of Boston" and "The Story of Rome."
The Gilman surname also graced the field of academia with Daniel Coit Gilman (1831-1908), an American educator and the first president of Johns Hopkins University. His contributions to higher education were instrumental in shaping the modern research university model.
Finally, Laura Gilman (born 1967) is a contemporary American author of fantasy and science fiction novels, including the Vineart War and Paranormal Scene Investigations series.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have carried the Gilman surname throughout history, highlighting its enduring presence across various walks of life.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gilman
Among Census respondents with the surname Gilman, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Gilman bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Gilman surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.5% · 9,956
- Hispanic or Latino3.6% · 401
- Two or more races3.6% · 401
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.3% · 147
- Black or African American1.2% · 129
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 91
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gilman
Gilman appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#3,003
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 11,946
-2 bearers (-0.0%)
Per 100,000 4.05
Rank movement Down 233 places
2020
#3,166
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 11,125
-821 bearers (-6.9%)
Per 100,000 3.72
Rank movement Down 163 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,770 | 11,948 | 4.43 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,003 | 11,946 | 4.05 | -2 bearers (-0.0%) | Down 233 places |
| 2020 | #3,166 | 11,125 | 3.72 | -821 bearers (-6.9%) | Down 163 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Gilman surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,003 | #3,166 | -5.4% |
| Count | 11,946 | 11,125 | -6.9% |
| Per 100K | 4.05 | 3.72 | -8.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gilman bearers went from 11,946 to 11,125 (-6.9% change). The surname moved down 163 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,003 to #3,166.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Gilman
FAQ
Gilman surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gilman?
Name Census estimates that about 12,757 living Americans carry the surname Gilman. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 26,868 residents.
How common is Gilman?
Gilman ranks #3,166 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.72 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 11,125 people with the surname Gilman. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (12,757), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.72 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.72 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Gilman.
Has Gilman become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gilman went from 11,946 recorded bearers to 11,125. That is a decrease of 821 (-6.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #3,003 to #3,166.
What does the Census say about the background of Gilman?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gilman, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Two or More Races (3.6%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Gilman in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.5% (9,956 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gilman appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.5%), Hispanic (3.6%), Two or More Races (3.6%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Gilman (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Gilman mean?
A surname of Old English origin referring to a servant or follower of a man named Gill or Gilbert. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Gilman (3.72 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Gilman?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.