Show ContentsEdny History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Edny

What does the name Edny mean?

The ancestors of the name Edny date back to the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from their residence 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 Edny family

The surname Edny 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 Edny family

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

Edny Spelling Variations

Edny has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Edny have been found, including Gidney, Gibney, Gedney, Gibbney and others.

Early Notables of the Edny family

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

Migration of the Edny family to Ireland

Some of the Edny 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.


Edny migration to Australia+

Emigration to Australia included the Second Fleet of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Second Fleet
  • Mr. John Edny, (Edney), (1764 - 1854), aged 26, British settler convicted in Somerset, England in 1789, sentenced to 7 years for stealing a horse, transported aboard the ship "Atlantic" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 5


  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  2. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  3. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  4. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  5. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 4th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships


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