Surname Gillander - Meaning and Origin

Gillander: What does the surname Gillander mean?

The last name Gillander is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is thought to have derived from the combination of two elements - ‘gill’, which is an Old English word meaning ‘valley’ and ‘ander’, which derives from a word meaning ‘unwalled’. Although the origin of the name is uncertain, it is likely that the name refers to someone who lived or worked in an unwalled valley.

The surname Gillander is rare, and can be found mainly in northern England and Scotland. It is most common in the counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire and Cheshire, where the family made its home from the 11th to the 19th century.

The Gillanders were noted as traders, millers, carpenters and miners. Their various trades led them to travel widely across England, as well as to other parts of Europe, where they established new branches of the family.

Throughout their history, the name has been spelt in various ways, including Gelland, Gillandor and Gillander. Today, the descendants of the original families bearing the Gillander name are spread out around the world.

Gillander: Where does the name Gillander come from?

The last name Gillander is an uncommon one, but its origin and present day occurrences can be traced to certain parts of Europe.

The first recorded use of the Gillander surname was in Germany in the 1300s, and it is believed to have derived from the Germanic name "Gillis". This suggests the name may have seen some importance in early Germanic culture.

In the modern day, the name is most prevalent in Sweden with around 2,000 people carrying the family name. It is still likewise present in Germany, but in much smaller numbers. In the United States and Canada combined, there are approximately 500 people with the name Gillander.

The name Gillander may also be more common than reported as some individuals may opt to anglicize it due to historic immigration of Gillander families in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, leading those with the last name to adopt more American-sounding versions, such as Gilbert. For this reason, it may be difficult to accurately trace the presence of the last name.

Overall, the name is not a widely used one, but does have a notable presence in parts of Europe, as well as North America. If tracing ancestry, researching slightly varied versions of the name, such as Gilbert, may help provide an accurate sense of the presence of the Gillander surname.

Variations of the surname Gillander

The Gillander surname, also known as Gilander, Gillender, Gellender, and Gullander, has a variety of spellings of the same origin. Its French form is said to be Guillandeau and, in Scotland, it is sometimes found as Jullian or Gullan.

Gillander is believed to be a patronymic name from the personal name Gil, a short form of virtually any of the numerous Germanic names beginning with the element, “gīl” meaning “to shine.” In this case, Gillander could be thought of as meaning “son of Gil.” Such a patronymic was taken from the personal name of the original bearer’s father in order to distinguish one family from another.

In Germany, variants of the Gillander surname include Gellinger, Gellendorf, and Gellenberger. These forms of the name became especially prominent in various regions of Germany.

As with many surnames, immigrants brought the Gillander name to North America. There it took on various forms, such as Gillender, Gullander, and Gillander. Many of the immigrants kept the same spelling when they moved.

The various spellings of the same name can be traced back throughout many centuries of European history. There is an enormous amount of information on the history and migration of people with the Gillander surname. The references to this name are plentiful and indicate that the surname is likely to have had many different origins with equally varied spellings.

Famous people with the name Gillander

• Hugo Gillander: Hugo Gillander is a Swedish singer and songwriter. He is best known for competing in the Swedish version of the reality-TV singing competition show Idol.
• Ursula Gillander: Ursula Gillander is a Swedish artist and digital illustrator. She creates illustrations and 3-D art with a focus on traditional figures of classical fairy tales.
• Michael Gillander: Michael Gillander is an Australian film producer and director. He is best known for directing and producing the indie feature film ‘The Infernal Waltz’.
• Ragnar Gillander: Ragnar Gillander is a Swedish scriptwriter and actor. He is best known for his work on the television series 'Våra bästa år', 'Den fjärde mannen' and 'Karlavagnen'.
• Johan Gillander: Johan Gillander is a Swedish actor and director. He is best known for his work in the films 'Vita lögner', 'Stjärnhuset', and 'Kvinnan i skamvrån'.
• Daniel Gillander: Daniel Gillander is a Swedish actor and director. He is best known for his work on the films 'Kiss the Wind', 'Fury', and 'After The Rain'.
• Amy Gillander: Amy Gillander is an actress and model from Massachusetts. She is best known for her work on the television series 'Supernatural' and 'The Weatherman'.
• Hans Gillander: Hans Gillander is a Swedish actor and director. He is best known for his work on the films 'Hjärtan som brinner', 'Familjen' and 'Urban Legend'.

Other surnames

GillandGillanders