Gillard
A surname with more than one possible root, most often explained as a form of William or as a nickname from “gallant.”
The #8,089 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 75,322 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname Gillard has been explained in different ways by older surname scholars. One common explanation treats it as a modified form of William, while another links it to Old French gallard, meaning gay, lively, bold, or gallant. A third, less certain line of speculation connects it with an older Germanic personal name. Because the historical evidence is mixed, the safest summary is that Gillard is probably a surname formed from a given name or a descriptive nickname, with the exact route not fully settled.
History
Older English surname books note several spellings and related forms, including Gallard, Gaylard, and Gaylord, suggesting a long period of variation before Gillard became the usual shape in some families. The name appears in English records and later also in Norman/French onomastic discussions, which adds to the uncertainty about whether all bearers share one origin. In modern usage it survives mainly in Britain, the United States, and other English-speaking countries.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Bardsley specifically remarks that the spelling seems to have “settled down” into Gillard from earlier variants like Gallard and Gaylard.
From the historical record
“was borrowed from these ff'dls. See Vaux. GILLARD. Probably one of the many modifications of William, which see. GILLBANKS. In old family records Ghylbanke. Gilbauk, a small hamlet in CO. Cumberland, in which county the family still reside. GILLEANRIAS. Gael. The servant of St. Andrew. See Gill.”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United KingdomNotable people named Gillard
- Julia Gillard (b. 1961)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.