Contents [hide]

Gilpin History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Gilpin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The ancestors of the Gilpin family migrated to England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The surname Gilpin is based on given name Gilpin or in some circumstances from an ancestor and in "the son of Gilbert." 1 The surname came to denote a son or descendent of one who was named Gilpin.

Another source notes that the name is "armorially identified with Galpine, a form of Galopin. Bernardus Galopin of Normandy, 1198 (Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae.) 2

Early Origins of the Gilpin family

The surname Gilpin was first found in Westmorland "seated at Kentmere Hall, temp. King John." 3

"Kentmere Hall, the ancient residence of the Gilpins, and now occupied as a farmhouse, is a lofty quadrangular tower, four stories in height, built of rude ragstone, and having a massive and venerable aspect. Bernard Gilpin, the divine, was born at the Hall in 1517." 4

Early History of the Gilpin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gilpin research. Another 154 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1167, 1216, 1514, 1517, 1539, 1541, 1583, 1602, 1625, 1661, 1700, 1879 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Gilpin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gilpin Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, Norman French and other languages became incorporated into English throughout the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Gilpin include Gilpin, Gilpins, Gylpin, de Gilpin and others.

Early Notables of the Gilpin family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Bernard Gilpin (1517-1583) the 'Apostle of the North,' born at Kentmere, Westmorland, in 1517. "He came, both by father and mother, of ‘ancient and honourable’ families. His mother was daughter of Wil...
George Gilpin (1514?-1602), English diplomatist and translator, usually called the Elder to distinguish him from the eldest son of his elder brother, was the second son of Edwin Gilpin of Kentmere, We...
Randolph Gilpin (d. 1661), the English divine, "came of that branch of the Gilpin family of Kentmere and Scaleby, which was seated at Bungay in Suffolk. His exact descent cannot be determined from the...
Richard Gilpin M.D. (1625-1700), was an English nonconformist minister and physician from Kendal, Westmorland. He was the second son of Isaac Gilpin of Strickland-Kettle, in the parish of Kendal, West...

Gilpin Ranking

In the United States, the name Gilpin is the 5,095^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 5

Migration of the Gilpin family to Ireland

Some of the Gilpin family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 180 words (13 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gilpin migration to the United States +

In England at this time, the uncertainty of the political and religious environment of the time caused many families to board ships for distant British colonies in the hopes of finding land and opportunity, and escaping persecution. The voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, though, and many arrived in North America sick, starved, and destitute. Those who did make it, however, were greeted with greater opportunities and freedoms that they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Early immigration records have shown some of the first Gilpins to arrive on North American shores:

Gilpin Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Anthony Gilpin, who settled in Barstable, Massachusetts about 1640
Jane Gilpin, who landed in Virginia in 1652 6
Joseph Gilpin, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1696 6

Gilpin Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Thomas Gilpin, who settled in Maryland in 1735

Gilpin Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

William Gilpin, who arrived in New York in 1804 6
Robert Gilpin, who landed in Mobile County, Ala in 1840 6
Dynes, George, John, Thomas, and William Gilpin, who settled in Pennsylvania between 1807 and 1860
Annie Gilpin, aged 28, who settled in America, in 1893
George Gilpin, aged 12, who landed in America from Armagh, in 1893
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Gilpin Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Geo Gilpin, aged 22, who settled in America from Liverpool, in 1903
Harriet B. Gilpin, aged 42, who settled in America, in 1903
Frederick Gilpin, aged 20, who landed in America from Armagh, in 1906
Donald N. Gilpin, who settled in America, in 1906
C. Monteith Gilpin, aged 35, who immigrated to America, in 1908
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Gilpin migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Gilpin Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Arthur F. Gilpin, aged 22, who settled in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, in 1897

Gilpin Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century

Dalton M. Gilpin, aged 35, who immigrated to Toronto, Canada, in 1916

Gilpin migration to Australia +

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

Gilpin Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Hannah Gilpin, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Lady Emma" in 1837 7
Bernard Gilpin, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Sir Charles Forbes" in 1839 8

Gilpin 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:

Gilpin Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Thomas Henry Gilpin, (b. 1861), aged 6 months, Irish settler from Armagh travelling from London aboard the ship "Zealandia" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 23rd May 1862 9
Mrs. Rose Gilpin, (b. 1836), aged 26, Irish settler from Armagh travelling from London aboard the ship "Zealandia" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 23rd May 1862 9
Mr. George Gilpin, (b. 1837), aged 25, Irish farm labourer from Armagh travelling from London aboard the ship "Zealandia" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 23rd May 1862 9
Miss Margaret J. Gilpin, (b. 1839), aged 25, British domestic servant travelling aboard the ship "Amoor" arriving in Lyttleton, South Island, New Zealand on 1st July 1864 10
Harriet Gilpin, aged 16, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Strathnaver" in 1874
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Gilpin (post 1700) +

Marc Gilpin (1966-2023), American child actor, known for Jaws 2 (1978), The Legend of the Lone Ranger (1981) and Where's Willie? (1978)
Henry Dilworth Gilpin (1801-1860), American lawyer, U.S. Attorney General (1840-41)
William Gilpin (1813-1894), American explorer, politician, military officer, land speculator, and writer, who became the first governor of the Colorado Territory
William Sawrey Gilpin (1762-1843), English water-colour painter and landscape gardener, son of Sawrey Gilpin, R.A 11
William Gilpin (1724-1804), English clergyman, schoolmaster and author, born on 4 June 1724 at Scaleby Castle, near Carlisle, son of Captain John Bernard Gilpin 11
Sawrey Gilpin (1733-1807), English animal painter, born at Carlisle 30 Oct. 1733, seventh child of Captain John Bernard Gilpin and Matilda Langstaffe
John Gilpin (1930-1983), English ballet dancer and actor
Andrew Crowley Gilpin (1920-2014), Canadian gold medalist ice hockey forward at the 1948 Winter Olympics
Brigadier George Ruddell Gilpin (1895-1971), British Deputy Chief Engineer, North Western Army (1942-1945) 12
Drew Gilpin Faust (b. 1947), American historian and 28th president of Harvard University

Historic Events for the Gilpin family +

RMS Lusitania

Mr. George Arthur Gilpin, English 1st Class Passenger residing in San Salvador, El Salvador returning to Leeds, England, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking and was recovered 13

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) LADY EMMA 1837. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1837LadyEmma.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) SIR CHARLES FORBES (originally Charles Forbes) 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839SirCharlesForbes.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 30 June 2020
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2011, October 5) George Gilpin. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Gilpin/George_Ruddell/Great_Britain.html
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/