Gilbert Family History, Genealogy & Ancestry

The Gilbert Family

10,469 Gilbert records from public death, burial and census records and the old county histories, in all 12 Midwestern states we cover. Every name is a real person in the public record, and we follow set rules to leave living people out (how).

10,469Records in our database

1801Earliest birth

3Documented families

5Biographies

See the Gilbert family trees →548 Gilbert families pieced together from public birth and death records, county histories and old newspapers

At a glance

10,469 Gilbert records in our database

From public death, burial and census records across 12 Midwestern states. We follow set rules to leave living people out (how). Tap a state or a decade to narrow the list of ancestors below.

Where

fewer more

When they were born

Most records: Ohio (1,941 of 10,469)
Most common birth decade: the 1910s
Earliest birth in the database: Bert Gilbert, born 1801, Minnesota

Most common first names

John250 William240 James203 Charles196 Mary192 Robert175 George141 Harold100 Helen96 Margaret93 Ruth92 Richard86

Documented families

Gilbert families we have traced

Written from county histories and public records, every fact cited. We follow set rules to leave living people out (how).

Family histories, generation by generation (2)

The Gilbert family of Des Moines CountyIowaStarts: Samuel GilbertMost recent: Cate Gilbert Wells (b. 1893)The Gilbert family of Muscatine CountyIowaStarts: Mordecai Gilbert and Melinda (Orgen) GilbertMost recent: Mary Ann (Chinn) Gilbert (b. 1824)

Family records from county histories (1)

Lyman H. GilbertWashington County, IowaStarts: Reuben Gilbert & Mary A. (Gype) GilbertMost recent: Ella Gilbert, Ollie Gilbert, Katie Gilbert

The earliest Gilberts in the county histories

Horace GilbertBorn 1805Child of Josiah Gilbert and Cloe (Barnard) GilbertHardin County, Ohio David GilbertBorn 1808Riley County, Kansas A. L. GilbertBorn 1809Child of Orin Gilbert and Mary (Barber) GilbertSummit County, Ohio S. C. GilbertBorn 1811Child of Allen GilbertClark County, Ohio Mabel GilbertBorn 1812Platte County, Missouri Hiram GilbertBorn 1817, Breckinridge CountyChild of Mordecai Gilbert and Melinda (Orgen) GilbertMuscatine County, Iowa

Family trees from the public record

548 Gilbert families: parents, brothers and sistersFrom state birth and death indexes, county histories and old newspapers, most recent deaths first

In old newspapers

43 Gilbert death notices, 1837 to 1925Obituaries and funeral notices from Midwest papers scanned by the Library of Congress, with the original pages

In the county history family index

52 Gilbert people in 31 countiesBirth years, birthplaces, parents and spouses, from the old county histories

Biographies from the county histories (5)

Hiram GilbertBorn 1817 · Muscatine County, Iowa John Webster GilbertBorn 1824 · Des Moines County, Iowa Mary Ann GilbertBorn 1824 · Muscatine County, Iowa Philip GilbertBorn 1845 · Montgomery County, Ohio Samuel P. GilbertBorn 1863 · Des Moines County, Iowa

Done-for-you research

Trace your documented Gilbert family

Found your Gilbert? We trace your family back as far as the records go and write it up as a family history book, every source cited. No DNA test and no sales call: we take a free first look, then email you a plan and a flat price before you spend a dollar.

Common questions

Gilbert genealogy: FAQ

Where does the Gilbert surname come from?

From the Norman personal name Gislebert ('bright pledge'), brought to Britain after the Conquest.

Where were Gilbert ancestors recorded?

Our database holds 10,469 Gilbert records from all 12 Midwestern states. The most are in Ohio (1,941), then Missouri (1,792) and Michigan (1,335).

How far back does the Gilbert family tree go?

The earliest Gilbert birth in our database is 1801: Bert Gilbert, Minnesota. We have pieced together 548 Gilbert family trees from public birth and death records.

Are living Gilbert family members listed here?

Not knowingly. We follow set rules to leave living people out of our public pages. If you find a living relative listed here, email us and we will take the record down.

Is this my Gilbert family?

Maybe. Many people share a name, so treat any match as a possible match until the dates and places line up with what you know about your family. Every person here links to their own page with the details, and we can trace your line for you.