History
Gill , Gil /Gila ,Sher Gil ,Gela , Gull , Ghilawa is a Gotra or surname found in the Jat community mainly in Rajasthan, Haryana, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab in India and Pakistan. D.S Ahlawat has mentioned it as one of the ruling Jat clans in Central Asia. as per H.A. Rose writes that Sipra, subdivision of Gill tribe, only give daughters to the BharwanaJat clan of the latter tribe or within their own circle.
H.A. Rose gives following details: Gill is one of the largest and most important of the Jat tribes. Its main settlements are in the Lahore and Ferozepur districts ; but it is found all along the Bias and Upper Sutlej, and under the hills as far west as Sialkot. Gil its ancestor, and the father of Sher Gill, was a Jat of Raghuvanshi descent of Lord Rama who lived in the Ferozepur district,
Pedigree I: Ram Chandar → Kashab → Suraj → Hardit → Darya → Wani Pal → Kaur Pal → Udasi → Nayan → Jobir → Mathla → Manhaj → Karor → Rathi → Ajanat → Wanbhir → Pirthi Pat → Gill
Pedigree II :Suraj (Sun) → Marot → Widya → Wanipal → Kaulpal → Udasi → Nayan → Jobir → Manhela → Manhaj → Karor → Rathi → Ajanat → Wabhar → Pirthipat → Gill
Most of Gills converted to Sikhism during the period of Guru Hargobind. Gills also sided with 6th Guru in the battle of Mehraj. The descendants of Shergill, one of the eight sons of Gillpal, settled in Zira area.
The chiefs of NishanwaliMisl, Sukha Singh and Mehar Singh were Shergills. MajithiaSardars of Majha were also Shergills.
There are 40 villages of Gills in Jagraon area of Ludhiana.
The Gils worship their eponym on the Chet Chaudas at Rajiana, in Mogatahsil, where he has a temple. He also appears to be called Raja Pir and to be specially affected by the Wairsi Gils.
Sub-gotras (list may not be exhaustive):
- Sher-Gill: from descendant of king Gillpal (also spelt as Gilpal) named Sher – sources differ by stating him as either the son, grandson, or great-grandson of king Gilpal.
- Jhalli-Gill: from the descendant of king
Gillpal named Jhalli
- Mud-Gill (some sources state they are unrelated to the Gill Jats)
- Sipra-Gill: from the descendant of king
Gillpal named Sipra
- Bandhan-Gill (or Wadan/Wadhan-Gill): from the descendant of king Gillpal named
Bandhan (also transcribed as ‘Wadan/ Wadhan’)
- Shahi-Gill
- Wairsi (Vairsi)-Gill: from the descendant of king Gillpal named Wairsi (Vairsi)
- Ladhai-Gill: from the descendant of king
Gillpal named Ladhai
- Nag(a)-Gill: from the descendant of king
Gillpal named Nag(a)
Distribution in Punjab
Gills were numbered at 124172 in the 1881 Census. Population of Gill in Patiala district was 45,900. This clan is quite numerous in the sub-districts of Bhikhi and Rajpura and its sept “Jhala” holds 11 villages in the subdistrict called Sahibgarh.
Villages in Amritsar district
Bhure Gill, BasarkeGillan, BhainiGillan, Gill Kamirpur, Kamirpur, Gillawati, HararMutsil, BaserkeGillan, Langarpur, GilwaliSohian Kalan, Haditpur, Kad Gill, In Amritsar Gill population was 48,210.
Villages in Bhatinda district
Gill Kalan, Gill Khurd, Gill Patti, Burj Gill,
Villages in Tarn Taran district
This clan holds 142 villages in total and specifically its large concentration is in the Tarn Taran area where it holds about 25 villages. Dhotian,
Villages in Ludhiana district
Gill Ludhiana : In Ludhiana Gill population was (28,101): It appears that this clan settled in the Ludhiana district about 350 years ago during the reign of Shah Jahan, the Mughal Emperor of India, and claims its ancestor was a king in the southern area of “Gharmela” . The “Gills” own about 50 villages mostly around the area of Jagraon.
Distribution in Uttar Pradesh
Villages in Saharanpur district
PaniyaliKasimpur, Daidpura,
Villages in Meerut district
Satwai, Sujatpur,
Villages in Jyotibaphule Nagar district
Chotipura, Daspur, Dehri, Jyotibaphule Nagar, Kapasi, KuanKhera, MudaKhera, Nartho, Naraini,
Villages in Ghaziabad District
KaniyaKalyanpur,
Villages in Shambal District
SalaKhana,
Villages in Bareilly district
Raath,
Villages in Pilibhit district
Banjariya, Simraya, Tulsipur,
Villages in Rampur district
Dankari.
Distributions in Rajasthan
Locations in Jaipur city
Gandhi Nagar, Mansarowar Colony, Murlipura Scheme, Queens Road, Bajaj nagar, Vidyadharnagar(vijay gill), Vaishalinagar, Viswakarma,
Villages in Jaipur district
MundiyaGarh,
Village in Sikar district
In sikarghilawa and Gill Gotra is same . its due to some mistake they written Ghilawa but there gotra is Gill.
Distribution in Haryana
Villages in Jind district
Alipura, PadarathKhera, PonkarKheri, Kakrod, Mirchi
Villages in Hisar district
Dobhi, Umra, Kharia Dhobi
Villages in Bhiwani district
JuiKhurd, NeemriWali, Ladawas,
Villages in Fatehabad district
ChanderKhurd, Nehla, Samain,
Villages in Rohtak district
Khareti,
Villages in CharkhiDadri district
Ranila
Villages in Jhajjar District
Luksar.
Distribution in Pakistan
Gill is One of the larger Jat clans. Historically, the Gills were found as far west as Sargodha and far east as Patiala. Many also settled in the canal colonies of Faisalabad and Sahiwal. They remain the third largest Muslim Jat tribe, after the Sandhus and Sidhus.
According to 1911 census this was the principal Muslim Jat clan in districts with population:
Sialkot District – Gill (3,468)
Gujranwala District – Gill (2,635)
Lahore District – Gill (2,381)
Amritsar District – Gill (4,346)
Gurdaspur District – Gill (1,198)
Lyalpur District (Faisalabad District) – Gill (3,865)
Jhang District – Gill (558)
Multan District – Gill (503)
References :-
- History of the Jatt Clans – H.S Duleh (Translation from original Punjabi work “Jattan da Itihas” by Gurjant Singh)
- History and study of the Jats – B.S. Dhillon (P.127)