Show ContentsGillibrand History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Gillibrand is one of the oldest family names to come from the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is derived from the Gaelic Mac Giolla Seanain, which referred to son of the servant follower of a Saint

Early Origins of the Gillibrand family

The surname Gillibrand was first found in Lancashire where they held a family seat from very ancient times. Their name being derived from an old Anglo Saxon personal name "Gislbrand."

Early History of the Gillibrand family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gillibrand research. Another 149 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1300, 1345 and 1665 are included under the topic Early Gillibrand History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gillibrand Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Gillibrand has undergone many spelling variations, including Gillibrand, Gilbrand, Gilsbrand, Gelibrand, Gellibrand, Jelibrand, Jellybrand, Jellibrand, Gyllibrand, Gilliebrand, Gillebrand, Gillebrande, Gillibrands and many more.

Early Notables of the Gillibrand family

Distinguished members of the family include

  • Sir Laurence Gillibrand


United States Gillibrand migration to the United States +

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Gillibrand were among those contributors:

Gillibrand Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • John Gillibrand, who was naturalized in Indiana sometime between 1846 and 1848
  • David Gillibrand who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1849

Australia Gillibrand migration to Australia +

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

Gillibrand Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Joseph Gillibrand, English convict from Cheshire, who was transported aboard the "Anson" on September 23, 1843, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 1

Contemporary Notables of the name Gillibrand (post 1700) +

  • Kirsten E. Gillibrand (b. 1966), American Democratic Party politician, U.S. Representative from New York 20th District, 2007-09; Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 2008; U.S. Senator from New York, 2009- 2
  • Warren Gillibrand, senior lecturer in the Department of Nursing, University of Central Lancashire, England


  1. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2015, January 8) Anson voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1843 with 499 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/anson/1843
  2. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 23) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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