This uncommon surname is of
Old French origin, and was originally introduced into ngland at the time of the
Norman Invasion in 1066. It is one of the varied group of derivative names generated by the male
personal name "Guillaume", the Old French form of the ancient
Germanic given name 'Wilhelm' composed of the elements "wil", meaning desire, and "helm", - protection. There are many double
diminutives of "Guillaume", of which this surname above is a fine example. The earliest recordings of the derivative surnames as recorded in England, include such forms as Gwillotus Clerk in the London rolls of 1377 and Robertus Gillot in the 1379
Poll Tax rolls of Yorkshire. Both French and English forms of the surname include Gillette, Gillett, Gillott, Guillet(on), Guillard, Guillart, Guilliatt (a 19th century Lincolnshire spelling), Guillot, Guillotin, Guillon (eau), Guillou(x), Guillond, and many others. Recordings of the name from French
Church Registers include: the
christening of Catherine, daughter of Etienne Guillon, at Angers, Maine-et-Loire, in December 1643, and the marriage of Pierre Guillotin to Jeane Francart at Chalandry-Elaire, on November 27th 1685. The name was re-introduced into England by
Huguenot refugees, an example recording being that of Paul Guillart, at Threadneedle Street French Huguenot Church, London, on May 5th 1622. The
coat of arms most associated with the name was granted in Norfolk in 1614. It has the
blazon of an
ermine field, a
black bend charged with three lucies. The
crest is that of a lion
rampant holding in its paw a battleaxe, all
proper. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Peter Gillame, which was dated 1276, in the "
Calendar of Letter Books of London", during the reign of King Edward 1, known as "
The Hammer of the Scots", 1272 - 1307. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing
variants of the original spelling.