Ideney History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Ideney has a long Anglo-Saxon heritage. The name comes from when a family lived in the village of Gedney in the county of Lincolnshire. The place-name is derived from the Old English Gyddan-ea, which literally means Gydda's island. Another source notes the place name probably means "island or well-watered land of a man called Gaeda or Gydda," from the Old English personal name. 1

Early Origins of the Ideney family

The surname Ideney was first found in Lincolnshire at Gedney, a village and civil parish in the South Holland district that dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 where it was listed as Gadenai. 2

"The church [of Gedney] is a beautiful structure, supposed to have been built by the abbots of Crowland, who had large possessions in the parish; it contains 53 windows, those of the north aisle having considerable remains of painted glass." 3

Today the parish includes the hamlets of Gedney Drove End, Gedney Dyke, Gedney Dawsmere, and Gedney Marsh.

One of the first records of the family was found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, where Hervey de Gedeney was listed in Lincolnshire. 4

Early History of the Ideney family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ideney research. Another 55 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1640, 1698 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Ideney History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ideney Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Ideney have been found, including Gidney, Gibney, Gedney, Gibbney and others.

Early Notables of the Ideney family

Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ideney Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Ideney family to Ireland

Some of the Ideney family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Ideney family

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Ideney, or a variant listed above: Martha Gibeney who settled in Charleston in 1772; Bridget Gibney settled in New York State in 1845 with her husband; James, Lawrence, Michael, Thomas, and William Gibney all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860.

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)