Show ContentsGeddes History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Scottish name Geddes is thought to be a habitational name, taken on from a place name in the county of Nairn. The place name Geddes is thought to have come from a Gaelic term for a mountain ridge. It has also been suggested that the surname was a patronymic created from the personal name Geddie, of uncertain origin, but which may come from a Scots dialect word "gedd," meaning "pike."

Early Origins of the Geddes family

The surname Geddes was first found in Nairnshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Inbhir Narann) in northern Scotland, today part of the Council Area of Highland where they held the lands of Geddes, formerly held by the Rose family. Further south the Gedding variant were first found in the parish of Gedding in Suffolk. "This place, which comprises about 580 acres, was the property of Sir John Gedding, who resided in the manorhouse of Gedding Hall, and died about the 21st of the reign of Edward I." [1]

Early History of the Geddes family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Geddes research. Another 214 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1300, 1394, 1406, 1470, 1558, 1590, 1597, 1600, 1650, 1660, 1694, 1713, 1737, 1739, 1799, 1802 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Geddes History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Geddes Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Geddes, Geddas, Geddis, Gedes, Geddeis, Geddy and many more.

Early Notables of the Geddes family

Notable amongst the Clan from early times was

  • According to Edinburgh tradition, Jenny Geddes (c.1600-c. 1660), a Scottish market-trader is said to have thrown a stool at the head of the minister in St Giles' Cathedral in objection to the first us...
  • Michael Geddes LL.D. (1650?-1713) was a Scottish clergyman of the Church of England and historian. John Geddes (1739-1799) was a Roman Catholic Bishop in Edinburgh, while his brother Bishop Alexand Ge...
  • William Geddes (1600?-1694), was a Scottish Presbyterian divine and author and a native of Moray. [2]

Geddes Ranking

In the United States, the name Geddes is the 8,931st most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [3]

Ireland Migration of the Geddes family to Ireland

Some of the Geddes family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 111 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Geddes migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Geddes Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Daniel Geddes, who landed in Cape Fear, North Carolina in 1772 [4]
  • John Geddes, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1789
Geddes Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Alexander Geddes, who landed in America in 1804 [4]
  • Maria J Geddes, aged 45, who landed in Massachusetts in 1812 [4]
  • Donald Geddes, aged 24, who arrived in New York in 1817 [4]
  • Donald Geddes, who settled in New York in 1817
  • John Geddes, who settled in South Carolina in 1822
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Geddes migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Geddes Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Australia Geddes migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Geddes Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • May Geddes, who arrived in Glenelg Roads aboard the ship "Pestonjee Bomanjee" in 1838 [6]
  • Mr. Robert Geddes, (Witcher, Charles), Scottish convict who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for life, transported aboard the "Barossa" on 27th August 1841, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) [7]
  • Mr. William Geddes, Scottish convict who was convicted in Inverness, Scotland for life, transported aboard the "Blundell" on 13th March 1844, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) [8]
  • Miss Jean Geddes, (McLennan), Scottish convict who was convicted in Inverness, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Emma Eugenia" on 22nd January 1846, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) [9]

New Zealand Geddes 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:

Geddes Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • James Geddes, aged 33, a baker, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "London" in 1842
  • Mary Ann Geddes, aged 24, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "London" in 1842
  • Mary Ann Geddes, aged 1, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "London" in 1842
  • Mr. James Geddes, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Sevilla" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 2nd December 1859 [10]
  • Mrs. Geddes, Scottish settler with 4 sons and 2 daughters travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Sevilla" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 2nd December 1859 [10]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Geddes (post 1700) +

  • Robert Louis Geddes (1923-2023), American architect, planner, writer, educator, Principal of Geddes Brecher Qualls Cunningham (GBQC), Dean Emeritus of the Princeton University School of Architecture (1965-1982)
  • Barbara Bel Geddes (1922-2005), American Oscar-nominated actress
  • John Geddes (1777-1828), American soldier and politician, Militia Major General, and Governor of South Carolina (1818-1820)
  • Norman Geddes, American politician, Mayor of Adrian, Michigan, 1869-70 [11]
  • John Geddes (1801-1889), American politician, Member of Michigan State House of Representatives from Washtenaw County, 1841 [11]
  • James Geddes, American politician, U.S. Vice Consul in Sonsonate, 1884 [11]
  • James Geddes, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Onondaga County 1st District, 1883-84 [11]
  • James Geddes (1763-1838), American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Onondaga County, 1803-04, 1821-22; Common Pleas Court Judge in New York, 1809 [11]
  • George Washington Geddes (1824-1892), American Democratic Party politician, Common Pleas Court Judge in Ohio 5th District, 1856-73; Candidate for justice of Ohio State Supreme Court, 1872; U.S. Representative from Ohio, 1879-87 [11]
  • George Geddes, American politician, Member of New York State Senate 22nd District, 1848-51 [11]
  • ... (Another 18 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

HMS Repulse
  • Mr. Lawrence Geddes, British Engine Room Artificer 5th Class, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and died in the sinking [12]
RMS Titanic
  • Mr. Richard Charles Geddes (d. 1912), aged 31, English Bedroom Steward from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking [13]


The Geddes Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Capta majora
Motto Translation: Seek greater things.


  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  3. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  4. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  5. Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
  6. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The PESTONJEE BOMANJEE 1838. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1838PestonjeeBomanjee.htm
  7. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/barossa
  8. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/blundell
  9. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 4th April 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/emma-eugenia
  10. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  11. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 19) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  12. HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
  13. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html


Houseofnames.com on Facebook