Skip to main content

Updated June 9, 2019

Family name origins & meanings

  • English and northern Irish (county Down) : probably a variant of Gillard.
  • French and Swiss French : from a derivative of Gillier, from the Germanic personal name Giselher, composed of gīsil ‘hostage’, ‘pledge’, ‘noble offspring’ (see Giesel) + heri ‘army’.

Subscribe to Family Education

Your partner in parenting from baby name inspiration to college planning.

Subscribe