Gillispie History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland
Scotland-Alt
Scotland

The roots of the name Gillispie are found among the Pictish clans of ancient Scotland. The name comes from the Gaelic name Gilleasbuig, which means the bishop's servant. The Gaelic word easbuig is borrowed from the Latin word episcopus, which means bishop. Patronymic names often substituted the name of a saint or other revered religious figure in place of a devout bearer's actual father. The name Gillispie is regarded as the Gaelic cognate of the Anglo-Saxon personal name Archibald, for reasons that remain obscure.

Early Origins of the Gillispie family

The surname Gillispie was first found in Aberdeenshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Obar Dheathain), a historic county, and present day Council Area of Aberdeen, located in the Grampian region of northeastern Scotland.

For the origin of the name, Sir Thomas Innes tells us that the name is derived from Sliochd Gillies a Chieftain of the MacPhersons in Invershie. He places this branch of the MacPhersons, as descendants of Elias MacPherson, brother of Kenneth MacPherson, ancestor of the MacPherson Clan.

However, Gillies was recorded as living approximately 1250-1300, and this record is predated by researches by two other historians who place a Ewan filius Gillespie as witnessing a Charter by Alwoin, Earl of Lennox, granted in 1175. The connection between this earlier record and the MacPherson line is vague and uncertain but most historians agree that the Gillespie are of the Clan Chattan.

Early History of the Gillispie family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gillispie research. Another 214 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1175, 1228, 1229, 1613, 1617, 1648, 1675, 1776, 1825 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Gillispie History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gillispie Spelling Variations

Although Medieval Scotland lacked a basic set of spelling rules, which meant that scribes recorded names according to their sounds it was not uncommon for the names of a father and son to be recorded differently. As a result, there are many spelling variations of Scottish single names. Gillispie has been written Gillespie, Gilaspy, Gilaspie, Gilespie, Gilespy, Gillaspey, Gillaspie, Gillaspy, Gillespay, Gillespee, Gillespery, Gillespey, Gillespie, Gillespy, Gillispey and many more.

Early Notables of the Gillispie family

Notable amongst the Clan at this time was Patrick Gillespie (1617-1675), a Scottish minister, strong Covenanter, and Principal of Glasgow University by the support of Oliver Cromwell; George Gillespie (1613-1648), Scottish clergyman who in 1648 became minister...
Another 36 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gillispie Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gillispie Ranking

In the United States, the name Gillispie is the 7,030^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 1

Migration of the Gillispie family to Ireland

Some of the Gillispie family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 61 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gillispie migration to the United States +

Thousands of Scots left their home country to travel to Ireland or Australia, or to cross the Atlantic for the North American colonies. The difficult crossing was an enormous hurdle, but those who survived found freedom and opportunity in ample measure. Some Scots even fought for their freedom in the American War of Independence. This century, their ancestors have become aware of the illustrious history of the Scots in North America and at home through Clan societies and other organizations. Passenger and immigration lists show many early and influential immigrants bearing the name Gillispie:

Gillispie Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John Gillispie, who landed in New York, NY in 1833 2
William Gillispie, who arrived in Tippecanoe County, Ind in 1844 2
Sarah Gillispie, aged 70, who landed in New York, NY in 1850 2

Gillispie Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

William Gillispie, aged 22, who arrived in New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Clan Macintyre" from Saint Nazaire, France 3
Samuel Gillispie, aged 36, who arrived in New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Megantic" from Liverpool, England 3
Daniel J. Gillispie, aged 19, who arrived in New York in 1920 aboard the ship "Vauban" from Liverpool, England 3
Gertrude Gillispie, aged 17, originally from Belfast, Ireland, who arrived in New York City, New York in 1920 aboard the ship "Baltic" from Liverpool, England 3
Nelson Gillispie, aged 35, who arrived in New York, New York in 1920 aboard the ship "Munardan" from Chaparra, Cuba 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Gillispie (post 1700) +

Charles Coulston Gillispie (1918-2015), American historian of science, Dayton-Stockton Professor of History of Science, Emeritus at Princeton University
Billy Clyde "BCG" Gillispie (b. 1959), American college basketball coach
Phillip H. Gillispie, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1984 4
P. F. Gillispie, American Republican politician, Mayor of Grafton, West Virginia, 1939-40 4
Marilyn S. Gillispie, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Pennsylvania, 2004, 2008 4
Lucille E. Gillispie, American Republican politician, Member of West Virginia State House of Delegates; Elected 1972 4
D. C. Gillispie, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Pennsylvania, 1860 4
Alton A. Gillispie, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Kansas, 1944 4
James Gillispie Blaine (1830-1893), American politician, U.S. Secretary of State (1881 and 1889-1892), great-grandson of Colonel Ephraim Blaine

Citations +

"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)
Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 23) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html