Dictionary of Medieval Names
from European Sources

Giles m. Latin Aegidius from Ancient Greek Αἰγίδιος, a derivative of Ancient Greek αἰγίδιον 'kid, young goat'.

The name of a 7th C saint and a 10th C Italian saint.

The English vernacular form Gil is witnessed in 1379 in the relational byname Gildoghter (WRYPT1 p. 316).

The name is sometimes confused with Gilo.

Belgium
Latin
1200 Egidio (abl) TSPDB-II p. 65; 1266 Egidius (nom) OvdFB 6
Middle Dutch
1252 Gillis (nom) MPSA p. 15; 1336 Gillis (dat) RSG1336-39 p. 10, Gillise (dat) ibid. p. 7; 1346 Gillis (nom) MPSA p. 15; 1355 Gillis (nom) ibid. p. 16; 1356 Gillis (nom) ibid. p. 16; 1361 Gillis (nom) ibid. p. 17; 1362 Gillis (nom) ibid. p. 17; 1364 Gillis (nom) ibid. p. 17; 1366 Gillis (nom) ibid. p. 17; 1368 Gillis (nom) ibid. p. 18; 1369 Gillis (nom) ibid. p. 18; 1370 Gillis (nom) ibid. p. 18; 1371 Gillis (nom) ibid. p. 18; 1376 Gillis (nom) RSG1376-89 p. 1; 1377 Gillis (nom) ibid. p. 77; 1407 Gillis (nom) AM6 p. 17; 1414 Gillis (dat) ibid. p. 24, Gillise (dat) ibid. p. 25; 1415 Gillis (dat) ibid. p. 26; 1419 Gillis (dat) ibid. p. 27
Dutch
1597x1598 Gielis BoonenGes p. 321
Brabant
Latin
1312 Egidii (gen) JeanIII p. 17, Egidio (abl) ibid. p. 41, Egidium (acc) ibid. p. 36, Egidius (nom) ibid. p. 4, Gielys (gen) ibid. p. 30
England
Latin
1189 Gile (nom) GASurv p. 134, Giles (nom) ibid. p. 102; 1340xc1450 Edidius (nom) CovGuild-1 p. 6, Egidius (nom) ibid. p. 7; 1381 Egidio (abl) Suffolk1381 p. 91; 1485–1486 Egidio (abl) CovGuild-2 p. 64, Jylys (nom) ibid. p. 79; 1551 Egidius (nom) StMartF p. 57; 1564 Egidius (nom) RegSoAMar p. 4; 1565 Egidius (nom) ibid. p. 4; 1570/1 Gyles (nom) RegSoABap p. 17; 1571/2 Egidius (nom) Reg-KirkElla p. 8
Dutch
1571 Gilles AuFr s'Broeders, Gillis ibid. Orblock; 1572 Gillis ibid. Bontenaken; 1573 Gillis ibid. Wiels; 1574 Gillis ibid. Bontenaken; 1575 Gillis ibid. Bode; 1576 Gillis ibid. Jacobs; 1577 Gillis ibid. Doornhove; 1578 Gillis ibid. Bontenaken; 1579 Gillis ibid. Bode; 1580 Egidius ibid. Kempen, Gillis ibid. Booij; 1582 Gillis ibid. Mengiens; 1583 Gillis ibid. Ghele; 1584 Gillis ibid. Bedalls; 1585 Gillis ibid. Gele; 1586 Gielis ibid. Ghijsels, Gillis ibid. Beijdall; 1587 Gielis ibid. Eechout, Gillis ibid. Hage; 1588 Gielis ibid. Beijdaels, Gillis ibid. Schoemaker; 1589 Gielis ibid. Coster, Gilles ibid. Sande, Gillis ibid. Visschere; 1590 Gielis ibid. Grave, Gillis ibid. Baert; 1591 Gielis ibid. Grove, Gilles ibid. Sande, Gillis ibid. Haghen; 1593 Aegidius ibid. Bijlovoys, Gilles ibid. Sande, Gillis ibid. Alaerts; 1594 Gillis ibid. p. 89; 1595 Gillis ibid. Costere; 1596 Gielis ibid. Grove, Gillis ibid. Schoenmaeckers; 1597 Gielis ibid. Ackom, Gillis ibid. Choor; 1598 Gielis ibid. Goosens, Gillis ibid. Leonard; 1599 Gielis ibid. Lioens, Gillis ibid. Lioens
Middle English
1438 Giles EEW p. 112
1429 Gillot WillsInv LV
Early Modern English
1481 Giles HHB1481-90 p. 7; 1529 Giles PP-HenV p. 6; 1530 Gyles LIWill-III p. 87, Gylys ibid. p. 71; 1539 Gylles DEmar-vol1 p. 77; 1559 Giles BUmar-vol2 p. 60, bruton1 p. 30, Gyles ibid. p. 110; 1562 Giles BUmar-vol9 p. 3, bruton1 p. 111; 1563 Giles StAnthonlin p. 16, Gyles COmar-vol2 p. 69; 1565 Gylyes COmar-vol5 p. 3; 1567 Gyles bruton1 p. 5; 1569 Giles SurMus II; 1573 Giles COmar-vol2 p. 70; 1574 Gyles SurMus p. 178; 1575 Giles bruton1 p. 42; 1580 Giles StAnthonlin p. 28, Gyles RegBath p. 5; 1581 Giles StAnthonlin p. 28; 1582 Giles ibid. p. 29; 1583 Giles ibid. p. 30; 1583/4 Giles SurMus p. 37, Gyles ibid. p. 114; 1584 Giles DEmar-vol2 p. 10, Gyles SurMus p. 194; 1585 Giles DEmar-vol2 p. 11; 1586 Giles ibid. p. 12; 1587 Giles ibid. p. 13; 1593/4 Giles RegBath p. 10; 1594 Giles DEmar-vol2 p. 29, Gyles BUmar-vol9 p. 9, COmar-vol2 p. 72, RegSoAMar p. 17; 1595 Giles DEmar-vol2 p. 32, Gyles bruton1 p. 54
Middle French
1567 Gilles WCS p. 83; 1574 Gilles ibid. p. 85; 1575 Gilles ibid. p. 11; 1577 Gilles ibid. p. 13; 1578 Gilles ibid. p. 44; 1579 Gilles ibid. p. 15; 1580 Gilles ibid. p. 45; 1581 Gilles ibid. p. 45; 1582 Gilles ibid. p. 17; 1583 gilles ibid. p. 103; 1584 Giles ibid. p. 46, Gille ibid. p. 104, Gilles ibid. p. 88; 1586 Gilles ibid. p. 47; 1588 Gilles ibid. p. 48; 1593 Gilles ibid. p. 50; 1596 Gilles ibid. p. 26; 1598 Gilles ibid. p. 52
Walloon
1581 Gilles RWC p. 3; 1582 Gilles ibid. p. 4; 1583 Gilles ibid. p. 437; 1583/4 Gilles ibid. p. 7; 1584 Gilles ibid. p. 8; 1590 Giles ibid. p. 14, Gilles ibid. p. 441; 1591 Gilles ibid. p. 16; 1591/2 Gilles ibid. p. 563; 1592/3 Gilles ibid. p. 25; 1592 Gilles ibid. p. 564; 1593 Gilles ibid. p. 27; 1593/4 Gilles ibid. p. 564; 1594 Gilles ibid. p. 33
France
Latin
565 Egidius (nom) DCEL-2 Add. II; 1147 Egidius (nom) clairvaux-12thc 14; 1163 Egidii (gen) ibid. 99; 1179 Egidius (nom) ibid. 179; 1236 Egidius (nom) NDParisII 2-XXXIX; 1239 Egidii (gen) CartAub; 1260 Egidius (nom) ArrestReg-volI XI, Pentecost, CartNDdOurscamp CXVII; 1263 Egidius (nom) ibid. XXIII; 1292 Egidii (gen) MemBret-I 1103; 1295 Egidius (nom) HistHdVParis p. 130; 1301 Egidius (nom) MemPic-vol17 p. 175, Egydius (nom) ibid. p. 202; 1304 Egidius (nom) CartNDdOurscamp LXXXVI; 1306 Egidio (dat) ArchReimsII1 LVII; 1313 Egidio (abl) CartNDdOurscamp LXXXVIII; 1378 Egidii (gen) hanquetvol1 162, Egidio (dat) ibid. 57, Egidium (acc) ibid. 736, Egidius (nom) ibid. 210
1163–64 Gillenet (nom) clairvaux-12thc 107, Gillenez (nom) ibid. 107; 1164 Gillentz (nom) ibid. 120; 1260 Gileti (gen) ArrestReg-volI XXI, Ascension; 1376 Gilletus (nom) St-Barnard-Romans 383
Old French
1291 Gile (obl) HistHdVParis p. 108; 1292 Gile 1292paris p. 2, Gilles (obl) MemBret-I 1101; 1295 Gile (obl) HistHdVParis p. 129; 1296 Gile paris1296 p. 17, (obl) HistHdVParis p. 132; c1298 Gile (obl) ibid. p. 138; 1301 Giles (nom) MemPic-vol17 p. 266, Gilles (nom) ibid. p. 335 [p. 235]; 1303 Giles (nom) ArchCambIII p. 153; 1307 Giles (nom) ArchReimsII1 LX; 1313 Gile Paris1313 p. 20, Giles ibid. p. 7
1296 Gilet paris1296 p. 27; 1301 Gillot (obl) MemPic-vol17 p. 239; 1313 Gilet Paris1313 p. 36, Gilot ibid. p. 97
Middle French
1358 Gile LeCoq p. 383; 1364 Giles ActsCharlesV no. 33; 1392 Gilles MemBret-II col. 609; 1404 Gilles HistHdVParis no. 4; 1418 Gilles DdB1418 p. 200; 1421 Gilles favier 4; 1423 Gilles ibid. 384; 1438 Giles ibid.; 1493 Gillis MSR1838 p. 375; 1561 Gilles RegPCC-1 p. 5; 1562 Gilles ibid. p. 15; 1563 Gilles ibid. p. 20; 1564 Gilles ibid. p. 46; 1565 Gilles ibid. p. 107; 1566 Gilles ibid. p. 200; 1567 Gilles ibid. p. 282; 1568 Gilles ibid. p. 365; 1570 Gilles ibid. p. 428; 1571 Gilles ibid. p. 439; 1572 Gilles ibid. p. 486; 1587 Gilles RTFProvins 243
1364 Gillet ActsCharlesV no. 132; 1365 Gilet ibid. no. 297; 1392 Gilet MemBret-II col. 607, Gillet ibid. col. 602, Gilot ibid. col. 611; 1418 Giles HGParis p. 376, Gilet DdB1418 p. 198, HGParis p. 374; 1421 Gilet favier p. 157, Gillet Laroche no. 6, favier 64, Gillot ibid.; 1423 Gillet ibid. 77; 1438 Gilet ibid. 203, Gillot ibid. p. 295, Gilot ibid. 521; 1493 Gillet MSR1838 p. 378; 1570 Gillet RegPCC-1 p. 558; 1571 Gilet ibid. p. 560
Germany
Latin
1212 Aegidii (gen) CDL-1.1.1 V; 1219 Aegidii (gen) ibid. VI; 1223 Egidius (nom) quix-vol2 136
Early New High German
1497 Gilg Nurn1497 284; 1555 Gilg (nom) MHCG2 335
Italy
Latin
1169 Egidii (gen) SDE3 II; 1198 Egidii (gen) ChStBo1 V, Egidius (nom) ibid. IV; 1229 Egidius (nom) CDT1 XI; 1265x1339 Zilli (gen) BBC-Berg 352, Zillii (gen) ibid. 415; 1348 Egidio (dat) INP 25; 1376 Egidio (abl) DouGen1 p. 147; 1387 Egidii (gen) Venditti II-2070; 1521 Egidio (abl) VitAs2 III
1285 Gilioli (gen) Perugia1285 p. 158, Ziliollus (nom) BBC-Berg p. XLIII
Italian
1490 Egidii (gen) VitAs2 II
The Netherlands
Latin
1254 Egidius (nom) GesOIJ-1 p. 294; 1258 Egidio (abl) OHZI-II no. 48, Egidius (nom) ibid. no. 49; 1288 Egidii (gen) GesOIJ-1 p. 296, Egidius (nom) ibid. p. 296; 1324 Egidii (gen) ibid. p. 298, Egidius (nom) ibid. p. 298; 1361 Egidij (gen) ibid. p. 302, Egidius (nom) ibid. p. 302; 1387 Egidij (gen) ibid. p. 304, Egidius (nom) ibid. p. 304
Dutch
1560 Gillis MagMiddelburg-1560; 1561 Gillis ibid.; 1562 Gillis ibid.; 1563 Gillis ibid.; 1564 Gillis ibid.; 1565 Gillis ibid.; 1566 Gillis ibid.; 1567 Gillis ibid.; 1568 Gillis ibid.; 1577 Gillis ibid.; 1579 Gillis ibid.; 1580 Gillis ibid.; 1581 Gillis ibid.; 1582 Gillis ibid.; 1585 Gillis ibid.; 1586 Gillis ibid.; 1587 Gillis ibid.; 1589 Gillis NHG-Middelburg p. 40; 1590 Gillis MagMiddelburg-1560; 1591 Gillis ibid.; 1592 Gillis ibid.; 1593 Gillis ibid.; 1598 Gillis ibid.; 1599 Gillis ibid.
Poland
Latin
1105 Aegidius (nom) CDT1 I; 1275 Egydium (acc) ibid. XXIII, Egydius (nom) ibid. XXIII
Portugal
Latin
1209 Egidio (dat) PHGCRP-I no. 10
Scotland
Latin
1376 Gylis (gen) morton-vol1 16
Spain
Latin
1276 Egidio (dat) CDGH XLVI, Egidius (nom) ibid. XLVI, egidii (gen) ibid. XLVI
Switzerland
Early New High German
1553 Gilg (gen) MHCG2 330; 1554 Gilg (nom) ibid. 331
Wales
Early Modern English
1598 Giles RegLlantrithyd p. 1
Cite as: G. Grim, J. Uckelman, S.L. Uckelman. "Giles". In S.L. Uckelman, ed. The Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, Edition 2023, no. 1. http://dmnes.org/2023/1/name/Giles.