Show ContentsGisborne History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Gisborne family

The surname Gisborne was first found in the West Riding of Yorkshire, at Gisburn (Gisburne.) Now within the Ribble Valley borough of Lancashire, Gisburn is a village, civil parish and ward that dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 where it was first listed as Ghiseburne. 1 By the 12th century, early records revealed the place name's spelling as Giselburn and probably meant "gushing stream" from the Old English words "gysel" + burna." 2 The Church of St Mary the Virgin is thought to have been built as early as 1135. Conjecturally, the surname is descended from the tenant of the lands of Gisburn, Roger le Poitevin held from William de Percy the great Baron of the north who was recorded in the Domesday Book census of 1086. In 1219 Nigel de Gisburn succeeded.

Early History of the Gisborne family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gisborne research. Another 78 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1265 and 1274 are included under the topic Early Gisborne History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gisborne Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Giseburn, Gisborn, Giseborn, Gisbourn, Gisbourne, Gisburne, Gisbyrne and many more.

Early Notables of the Gisborne family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

  • Gisborne of Yorkshire


Canada Gisborne migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Gisborne Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • F. N. Gisborne, who settled in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1849

Australia Gisborne migration to Australia +

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

Gisborne Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Gisborne (post 1700) +

  • Harry Thomas Gisborne (1893-1949), American forester who pioneered the scientific study of wildfires
  • Maria Gisborne (1770-1836), friend of Shelley, daughter of an English merchant at Constantinople named James, born in 1770, apparently in England
  • Thomas Gisborne the Younger (1794-1852), English politician, eldest son of Thomas Gisborne [q. v.], prebendary of Durham
  • Thomas Gisborne (d. 1806), English President of the College of Physicians, was the second of the three sons of James Gisborne (d. 1759), rector of Staveley, Derbyshire, and prebendary of Durham
  • John Gisborne (1770-1851), English poet, son of John Gisborne, and younger brother of Thomas Gisborne (1758–1846)
  • Thomas Gisborne the Elder (1758-1846), English Anglican divine, priest and poet
  • Thomas Gisborne (1790-1852), English Whig and Liberal politician
  • Thomas Gisborne (1851-1935), Irish rugby football player
  • Henry Fyshe Gisborne (1813-1841), Australian first Commissioner for Crown Lands of the Port Phillip District, founder of Flemington Racecourse and petitioner for Victoria's separation from New South Wales
  • William Gisborne (1825-1898), Colonial Secretary of New Zealand 1869-72 and Minister of Public Works 1870-71
  • ... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  3. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Albion voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1826 with 192 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/albion/1826


Houseofnames.com on Facebook