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The name Gilaspie is derived from the Gaelic "Mac Gille Easbuig," a patronymic from 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 Gilaspie is regarded as the Gaelic cognate of the Anglo-Saxon personal name Archibald, for reasons that remain obscure.
The surname Gilaspie 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.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gilaspie research. Another 214 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1175, 1228, 1229, 1613, 1648, 1776 and 1825 are included under the topic Early Gilaspie History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Spelling variations of this family name include: Gillespie, Gilaspy, Gilaspie, Gilespie, Gilespy, Gillaspey, Gillaspie, Gillaspy, Gillespay, Gillespee, Gillespery, Gillespey, Gillespie, Gillespy, Gillispey and many more.
Another 50 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gilaspie 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: Matthew Gilespy settled in Charleston in 1767; James Gilespie arrived in Philadelphia in 1861; Neil Gillespie with his wife Mary arrived in New York State in 1739 with his two sons, Gilbert and Angus.