Gibbe History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

The ancient Pictish-Scottish name Gibbe comes from Gibb, which is a pet form of the personal name Gilbert. 1 2 3

This name is derived from the Old English forenames Gislberht and Gislbeorht, which mean bright hostage. 4

Early Origins of the Gibbe family

The surname Gibbe was first found in Inverness-shire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Inbhir Nis) divided between the present day Scottish Council Areas of Highland and Western Isles.

Entries for the family are quite late by typical standards. Records in the 16th century include: "Dauid Gyb was member of assize at Cupar in 1521, Elizabeth Gib is recorded in Craigmakerane in 1585, and Robert Gib was burgess of Linlithgow in 1622." 2

Early History of the Gibbe family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gibbe research. Another 129 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1521, 1585, 1603, 1604, 1611, 1622, 1651, 1654, 1656, 1677, 1681, 1682, 1689, 1724, 1754 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Gibbe History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gibbe Spelling Variations

Scribes in the Middle Ages did not have access to a set of spelling rules. They spelled according to sound, the result was a great number of spelling variations. In various documents, Gibbe has been spelled Gibb, Gibbe, Gibbs, Gibbes and others.

Early Notables of the Gibbe family

Notable amongst the Clan at this time was

William Gibbes (died 1689), an English merchant and politician, Member of Parliament for Suffolk (1654-1656), High Sheriff of Suffolk in 1677
Charles Gibbes (1604-1681), was an English divine, sixth son of Sir Ralph Gibbes, who was knighted at Whitehall in 1603, was born at Honington, Warwickshire, in 1604
James Alban Gibbes or Ghibbes (1611-1677), was a Latin poet, "was born at Valognes, for in his will, still preserved at Rome, he speaks of himself as 'nativo di Vallone, appresso Cadomo, diocesi di Co...

Migration of the Gibbe family to Ireland

Some of the Gibbe family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 50 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gibbe migration to the United States +

The cruelties suffered under the new government forced many to leave their ancient homeland for the freedom of the North American colonies. Those who arrived safely found land, freedom, and opportunity for the taking. These hardy settlers gave their strength and perseverance to the young nations that would become the United States and Canada. Immigration and passenger lists have shown many early immigrants bearing the name Gibbe:

Gibbe Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Richard Gibbe, who landed in Maryland in 1665 5

The Gibbe Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Tenax propositi
Motto Translation: Firm of purpose.

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
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)