Surname Gilrouth - Meaning and Origin
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Gilrouth: What does the surname Gilrouth mean?
The last name Gilrouth originates from the French language and is believed to be of locational origin. It likely stems from the area of Githaur, which is situated near Normandy and Picardy (in the ancient region of Picardy, northern France). Gilrouth might have been taken on as a surname by someone who originated from that particular area. Alternatively, it could have been adopted by someone who worked as a labourer at the ferry which operated between the two region and places their residence there.
The surname Gilrouth is a unique name and there are few variations to its spelling, including Gilroath and Gilroath. It is rarely found outside of France, though people with this name are believed to exist in small numbers in Germany, Scotland, and France.
The meaning of the surname Gilrouth is mostly unclear, though it is thought to have been derived from the Old Norman phrase meaning “By the Ferry” or “At the Ferry”. The name may also have been derived from the Old Norman “Githaur”, with the suffix “Routh” meaning “strong”.
Whatever the original meaning of the surname Gilrouth may have been, it has come to symbolize strength and strong working-class roots, may it be representing the strength of bonds between people, or the strength of the person holding it.
Order DNA origin analysisGilrouth: Where does the name Gilrouth come from?
The Gilrouth surname is most commonly found in the United Kingdom and Ireland, as well as in small pockets of France, Germany, the United States, Canada and Mexico.
In the United States, the Gilrouth surname is most commonly found in California, Texas, New York, and Florida, though its presence is growing across the country. Records of the Gilrouth surname first appear in the history books of the United Kingdom and Ireland in the 12th century, primarily in the modern day counties of Donegal, Leitrim and Dublin. The surname has since spread to France, Germany, Canada, Mexico, and eventually the United States.
The origin of the Gilrouth surname is believed to be of French origin with the words “giraud” or “girault” evolving into “gilrouth.” During the 11th and 12th century, the English and French were interchanging language through commerce and military activities, and so changes in the surname are thought to be due to this exchange.
Due to the prominence of the manuscripts in which the Gilrouth surname appears in medieval Ireland, it is widely believed that they were among the original settlers of the area. After the settlers established their presence in Ireland the Gilrouth family migrated to Great Britain, and eventually to France, Germany, the US, Canada, and Mexico.
Today, the Gilrouth surname is common in its original origin countries, such as Ireland and the United Kingdom, as well as being found in small pockets across Europe, the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Variations of the surname Gilrouth
The surname Gilrouth has several variant spellings, surnames, and origins. In France, variants include: Guillerot, Guillercourt, Guillermet, Guillert, Guillet, and Guillier. In Scotland, the surname can also be spelled as Gilreath, Gilreath, or Gilruth. In German, variations may be spelled as Gilruthe, Gilrooth, Gilrothe, or Gillrath.
In Ireland, the surname is most frequently found as Gilroy, but there are other variations such as Gylroy, Gilroye, Gillroy, Gilrie, or Gilrich. In England and Wales there are also minor variations such as Gillrooth, Gillaroth, Gilrooth, Gilrothe, or Gilreath.
The surname Gilrouth can also be of other origins, depending on the specific location. For example, in Sweden, the surname is actually spelled as Gylroth or Gylrooth, with these version being an anglicized interpretation of the original Swedish name Gyllroth. In Norway, the same surname is often spelled as Gylroth while in Finland it is commonly spelled as Gellaroth or Gellaroot.
According to a Raleigh study, the last name is most frequently found in France, followed by the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States and Germany. Other countries of global distribution include Italy, the Netherlands, Mexico, Argentina, Sweden and Ireland. The Raleigh study also found that the highest number of Gilrouth’s in France are found mainly in the Centre-Val de Loire region, the Pays-de-la-Loire region, in Normandy, and in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur.
Regardless of its origin or spelling, today the surname Gilrouth is spread around the world with its most common occurrences being found in France and the United Kingdom.
Famous people with the name Gilrouth
- Ruth Gilrouth: a prominent Cuban-American anti-corruption activist and proponent of economic freedom in Cuba.
- Gilrouth Palmer: a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from Illinois from 1967 to 1983.
- Andrea Gilrouth: a Paralympic swimmer from the United States.
- Suzanna Gilrouth: an American mathematician and mathematician-in-residence at the Exploratorium in San Francisco.
- Johnathan Gilrouth: an American football linebacker in the National Football League.
- Paul Gilrouth: a professional American football wide receiver from the 1980s.
- Barbara Gilrouth: an American television and film actress.
- Alex Gilrouth: a NASCAR professional driver.
- Monty Gilrouth: a former child actor who appeared in several films in the 1990s.
- Fereric Gilrouth: a French photographer.
- David Gilrouth: an actor, television host and entrepreneur.
- Julie Gilrouth: a multi-dimensional artist and a passionate advocate of creating art in both digital and traditional mediums.
- Maybeth Gilrouth: a professional Australian Rules footballer.
- Gina Gilrouth: a Vietnam War-era music artist.
- Patricia Gilrouth: a professional comedian from the United Kingdom.