Gidney History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsEtymology of GidneyWhat does the name Gidney mean? 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 familyThe 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 familyThis 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 VariationsThe 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 familyAnother 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 RankingIn the United States, the name Gidney is the 16,152nd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 5 Migration of the Gidney family to IrelandSome of the Gidney family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
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
Gidney Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: Gidney Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
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
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