The Gilbert surname
In the 2010 U.S. Census, 114,940 people carried this name — #268 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 2,570 people counted. That is up 2% from 112,406 in 2000.
In France’s civil register
France’s register of deaths holds 9,158 people named Gilbert.
172 of them were born outside France. Those born in France came from 101 départements, most often Paris.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they were born
Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.
In Belgium’s population register
At least 908 people named Gilbert live in Belgium.
Statbel only publishes a name in a municipality when five or more people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Hainaut.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they live today
Statbel (Statistics Belgium), family names of the population by municipality, 1 January 2026 — CC BY 4.0.
In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890
Ireland registered 16 births for the Gilbert name in 1890.
They were registered in all four provinces, most of all in Leinster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 700 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “Dublin and Antrim.”
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they were born, 1890
Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.
In Argentina’s national register
At least 322 people named Gilbert live in Argentina.
RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they live today
RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.
In Switzerland’s population statistics
223 people named Gilbert live in Switzerland.
They live in 16 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Vaud.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they live today
Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.
In Poland’s population register
79 people named Gilbert have a registered home in Poland.
Of the 149 in Poland’s national register, these are the ones with a permanent address on file. They live in 9 of Poland’s 16 voivodeships, most of all in Lower Silesian.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
PESEL register, Ministry of Digital Affairs of Poland (dane.gov.pl) — CC0 · living people by voivodeship of permanent residence, 20 January 2026.
In the Nordic population registers
157 people named Gilbert are counted in Sweden and Finland.
Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published. Finland counts its citizens, at home or abroad.
Counted, by country
Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown) · Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), Finland, surname statistics, August 2026 — CC BY 4.0.
In print
Gilbert in American newspapers,
1872–1932.
Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 1,325,380 pages in all carry the name.
Who carried it
People named Gilbert,
with a public archive behind them.
-
Humphrey Gilbert 1539–1583 · politician -
William Gilbert 1544–1603 · astronomer -
John Gilbert 1693–1761 · Anglican priest -
Nicolas Joseph Laurent Gilbert 1750–1780 · writer -
Ludwig Wilhelm Gilbert 1769–1824 · physicist
Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons (CC0) · 137 lives in all are documented under this name.
Nearby in the index
Surnames next to Gilbert.
- Gigliotti 3,341 · U.S. census
- Gignac 841 · U.S. census
- Gigon 117 · U.S. census
- Gigot 136 · U.S. census
- Gil 26,112 · U.S. census
- Gilardi 531 · U.S. census
- Giles 40,598 · U.S. census
- Gilette 137 · U.S. census
- Gilg 203 · U.S. census
- Gilger 492 · U.S. census
- Gili 141 · U.S. census
- Giliberti 336 · U.S. census
When the index is not enough
This page says where Gilbert is.
A volume says what happened to it.
Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.