Show ContentsJiddney History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The roots of the Anglo-Saxon name Jiddney 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 Jiddney family

The surname Jiddney 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 Jiddney family

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

Jiddney 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. Jiddney has been recorded under many different variations, including Gidney, Gibney, Gedney, Gibbney and others.

Early Notables of the Jiddney family

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

Ireland Migration of the Jiddney family to Ireland

Some of the Jiddney 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.

Migration of the Jiddney family

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 Jiddney or a variant listed above: Martha Gibeney who settled in Charleston in 1772; Bridget Gibney settled in New York State in 1845 with her husband; James, Lawrence, Michael, Thomas, and William Gibney all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860.



  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)


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