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| Origins Available: |
| | Scotland |
The name Gemel was derived from the Middle English word "Gamel" which meant the "old one." Gamel was a fairly popular personal name in Scotland particularly in Ayrshire. "Gemell" is also derived from the Italian word for "twins" and it if from this source that heralds derived the ordinary "bars-gemel" which dePicts "twin" bars or a pair of two barrulets, placed close together, referred to as one bar-gemel. Bars gemel were awarded for acts of particular bravery in times of war.
The surname Gemel was first found in Ayrshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Inbhir Àir), formerly a county in the southwestern Strathclyde region of Scotland, that today makes up the Council Areas of South, East, and North Ayrshire, where one of the first records of the name was Gamel or Gamellus who witnessed charters by Richard, bishop of St. Andrews c. 1173. The same person witnessed a charter by Roger, bishop elect of St. Andrews relating to the church of Haddington c. 1189-1198.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gemel research. Another 58 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1173, 1250 and 1600 are included under the topic Early Gemel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Spelling variations of this family name include: Gemmell, Gemel, Gemell, Gemmel, Gemmill and others.
More information is included under the topic Early Gemel Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Patrick Gemmell arrived in Philadelphia in 1860; Walter Gemmell in the same port in 1868; Michael Gemmell arrived in New England in 1709 with his wife and son..