Show ContentsGibbins History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Gibbins is derived from the name Gibb, a short form of the Norman personal name Gilbert. This name was originally derived from the name Gislebert, which is comprised of the Germanic elements "gisil," which means "hostage" or "noble youth," and "berht," which means "bright" or "famous." The name features the distinctive Irish patronymic prefix "fitz," which means "son of" in Anglo-French. This is derived from the Old French word "fils," which ultimately comes from the Latin word "filius," both of which mean "son." The Gaelic form of the surname Gibbins is Mac Giobúin.

Early Origins of the Gibbins family

The surname Gibbins was first found in counties of Mayo and Limerick, where two distinct families arose shortly after Strongbow invasion of Ireland in 1172. The majority of the family hails from Mayo and were a branch of the great Burke family.

They were originally known as MacGibbon Burke. They gave their name to Ballymacgibbon in County Mayo. The Limerick FitzGibbon families are descended from John Fitzgerald, whose three sons became hereditary knights of Desmond in 1333.

Two branches of this family, known respectively as the knights of Glin and the knights of Kerry, remained Fitzgeralds. However, the third branch became known by the surname Fitzgibbon and was led by the White Knight, Maurice FitzGibbon, son of Sir Gilbert fitz John, eldest illegitimate son of John FitzGerald, 1st Baron Desmond. The territory of this branch lay in the southeastern corner of Limerick near County Cork. 1

Early History of the Gibbins family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gibbins research. Another 64 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1357, 1419, 1496, 1530, 1543, 1552, 1569, 1575, 1596 and 1608 are included under the topic Early Gibbins History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gibbins Spelling Variations

Church officials and medieval scribes often simply spelled names as they sounded. As a result, a single person's name may have been recorded a dozen different ways during his lifetime. Spelling variations for the name Gibbins include: Fitzgibbon, Fitzgibbons, MacGibbon, Gibbon, Gibbons, Gibben, Gibbens, Gibbin, Gibbins and many more.

Early Notables of the Gibbins family

Notable amongst the family up to this time was Maurice Fitzgibbon, 1st White Knight (d. 1357), second son of John Oge Fitzgerald, alias Fitzgibbon (d. 1569), and Ellen, daughter of Patrick Condon, lord of Condons, accompanied James Fitzmaurice to France in March 1575, returning in July. 2David Fitzgibbon, was the 2nd White Knight; John Fitzgibbon, 3rd White Knight; Maurice Fitzgibbon, 4th White Knight...
Another 62 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gibbins Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Gibbins migration to the United States +

The Irish emigration during the late 18th and 19th century contributed to the melting pot of nationalities in North America, and the building of a whole new era of industry and commerce in what was seen as a rich, new land. Ireland'sGreat Potato Famine resulted in the worst economic and social conditions in the island's history. And in response to the hunger, disease, and poverty, during this decade the total number of emigrants to leave for North America rivaled all the previous years combined. Those from this decade that arrived on North American shores were not warmly welcomed by the established population, but they were vital to the rapid development of the industry, agriculture, and infrastructure of the infant nations of the United States and what would become Canada. Research into early immigration and passenger lists has shown many people bearing the name Gibbins:

Gibbins Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Ambrose Gibbins, who landed in New Hampshire in 1630 3
  • James Gibbins, aged 21, who arrived in America in 1635 3
  • Oliff Gibbins, aged 18, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 3
  • Oliver Gibbins, who landed in Virginia in 1640 3
  • Tho Gibbins, who landed in Virginia in 1663 3
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Gibbins Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Anne Gibbins, who arrived in Virginia in 1701 3
  • Robs Gibbins, who arrived in Virginia in 1705 3
  • Easther Gibbins, who arrived in Virginia in 1715 3
  • John Gibbins, who landed in Virginia in 1716 3
  • Ellin Gibbins, who landed in Virginia in 1725 3
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Gibbins Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • John Gibbins, who arrived in St Clair County, Illinois in 1853 3
  • Margaret Gibbins, aged 28, who landed in New York in 1854 3

Australia Gibbins migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Gibbins Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. John Gibbins, (Gibbons), (b. 1811), aged 18, English butcher's boy who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 14 years for pick pocketing, transported aboard the "Claudine" on 19th August 1829, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 4
  • Mr. Joseph Gibbins, English convict who was convicted in Northampton, Northamptonshire, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Bangalore" on 28th March 1848, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) from Bermuda 5
  • Matilda Gibbins, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Success" in 1848 6
  • Henry Gibbins, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Panama" in 1850 7

New Zealand Gibbins migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Gibbins Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Miss Martha Gibbins, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Euphemus" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 12th February 1857 8
  • William Gibbins, aged 35, a labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Collingwood" in 1875

Contemporary Notables of the name Gibbins (post 1700) +

  • George R. Gibbins, American Republican politician, Candidate in primary for Missouri State House of Representatives from Andrew County, 1964 9
  • Ms. Judith Ann Gibbins O.B.E., British recipient of Officer of the Order of the British Empire on 8th June 2018, for services to British foreign policy 10
  • Major-General Robert Gibbins Gard (1899-1983), American Commanding General VII Corps (1957-1959) 11


  1. MacLysaght, Edward, Irish Families Their Names, Arms and Origins 4th Edition. Dublin: Irish Academic, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2364-7)
  2. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  3. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  4. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 18th February 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/claudine
  5. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 15th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bangalore
  6. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) SUCCESS 1848. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1848Success.htm
  7. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) PANAMA 1850. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1850Panama.gif
  8. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  9. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 9) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  10. "Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62310, 31 October 2019 | London Gazette, The Gazette, June 2018, https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/62310/supplement/B1
  11. Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2012, March 5) Robert Gard. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Gard/Robert_Gibbins/USA.html


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