Gidney History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:

England

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The roots of the Anglo-Saxon name Gidney come from when the family resided 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 Gidney family

The surname Gidney 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 Gidney family

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

Gidney Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Gidney has been recorded under many different variations, including Gidney, Gibney, Gedney, Gibbney and others.

Early Notables of the Gidney family

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

Gidney Ranking

In the United States, the name Gidney is the 16,152^nd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 5

Migration of the Gidney family to Ireland

Some of the Gidney 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.

Gidney migration to the United States +

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Gidney or a variant listed above:

Gidney Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

John Gidney, who settled in Virginia in 1639

Gidney Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Mr. George Gidney, aged 25, Scottish settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Cynosure" in 1863

Gidney migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Gidney Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. Joshua Gidney U.E. who arrived at Port Roseway [Shelburne], Nova Scotia on October 26, 1783 was passenger number 7 aboard the ship "HMS Clinton", picked up on September 20, 1783 at East River, New York 6
Mrs. Ann Gidney U.E. who arrived at Port Roseway [Shelburne], Nova Scotia on October 26, 1783 was passenger number 69 aboard the ship "HMS Clinton", picked up on September 20, 1783 at East River, New York 6
Miss Elizabeth Gidney U.E. (b. 1771), aged 12 who arrived at Port Roseway [Shelburne], Nova Scotia on October 26, 1783 was passenger number 116 aboard the ship "HMS Clinton", picked up on September 20, 1783 at East River, New York 6
Miss Sibé Gidney U.E. (b. 1766), aged 17 who arrived at Port Roseway [Shelburne], Nova Scotia on October 26, 1783 was passenger number 115 aboard the ship "HMS Clinton", picked up on September 20, 1783 at East River, New York 6
Mr. Robert Gidney U.E. (b. 1765), aged 18 who arrived at Port Roseway [Shelburne], Nova Scotia on October 26, 1783 was passenger number 117 aboard the ship "HMS Clinton", picked up on September 20, 1783 at East River, New York 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Gidney migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Gidney Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Samuel Gidney, aged 21, a sawyer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Oliver Lang" in 1856

Contemporary Notables of the name Gidney (post 1700) +

Charles C. Gidney Jr., American politician, U.S. Vice Consul in Havana, 1926; Guadalajara, 1932; Tampico, 1938 7
Bernard W. Gidney, American politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Massachusetts 7th District, 1906 7
Francis "Skipper" Gidney (1890-1928), English leader of the Scouting movement, appointed the first Camp Chief of Gilwell Park (1919), and later organized the first Wood Badge adult leader training course
Angus Morrison Gidney (1849-1926), Canadian farmer and politician who represented Digby County in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly (1895 to 1911)
Angus Morrison Gidney (1803-1882), Canadian educator, poet and journalist from Jemseg, New Brunswick
Sir Henry Albert John Gidney FRCS, DPH, MRCP, D.O. (1873-1942), British member of the Anglo-Indian community of the British Raj