This unusual name is of Gaelic, Scottish origin and is one of the variant forms of the surname "Gilfillan". The name derives from the Gaelic "Gille Fhaolain", meaning "the servant of (St.) Faolan", a personal name representing a diminutive form of "faol", wolf. The personal name appears frequently in Scots records in the 12th and 13th Centuries, one Gillefalyn held land in Lauderdale circa 1214, Gilfelan MacGuostuf witnessed a charter by Maldoune, 3rd Early of Levenax, in 1217, and one Gillifelan is recorded as Dean of Kintyre in 1250. The surname has a number of variants, ranging from Gilpillan, Gilphillan and to Gilfilland, Gelland and Guilliland. James Guilliland was christened on July 8th 1743 at Hand Alley and New Broad Street, Presbyterian, London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Ewin Gillfillane, which was dated 1516, in the "Register of the Privy Seal of Scotland", during the reign of King James V of Scotland, 1513 - 1542. 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.

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