Gilkey
A surname most likely built on the medieval name Gil- with an added suffix, though its exact origin is not firmly established.
The #8,734 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 82,223 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname Gilkey is probably formed from the old name element Gil-, a short form found in many medieval names derived from words meaning "servant" or from names beginning with Gilbert, Giles, or a similar base. The final -key looks like an English surname ending or a later spelling development, but the exact source is not certain. Because the name appears in records alongside many other Gil- surnames, it is likely part of that broader naming family rather than a completely separate root.
History
The historical excerpts place Gilkey among a cluster of surnames beginning with Gil-, but they do not explain its derivation directly. In the United States, it is a relatively uncommon surname, and modern bearers are likely descended from one or more small family lines rather than from a single large clan. The spelling seems to have stabilized in English-speaking countries, though related forms may have varied more widely in older records.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Its neighbors in 19th-century surname lists include many other Gil- names such as Gilbert, Gilmartin, and Gilfoyl, showing how productive that name element was in older naming traditions.
From the historical record
“GiGER, and Gigger ; Gilbreath, Gilbride, Gilcreas, Gilbert, Gilfather, Gilfoyl, Gile, Gilkey, Gil- lard, Gillaskie, Gillegan, Gillen, Gilley, Gilling- HAM, Gillmore and Gilmore, Gilmartin, Gilpatrick, Gilworth, Ginty, Girard, Girardin, Glaab, Glac- kin, Glancy, Glassett, Glavin, Glawson, Glenden- NEN, Glennan and…”
— Suffolk Surnames (3rd ed.)