Gibbonson

Recorded in a wide variety of spellings including Gebbie, Gibbie, Gebby, Gibbieson, Gibbon and Gibbonson, this is a Scottish surname of medieval origins. It is a patronymic form of the popular medieval nickname "Gib", itself a short form of the personal name "Gilbert". This given name was introduced into England and Scotland either in the 10th century a.d., or following the Norman Invasion of England in 1066, which was given Scottish support. It was originally recorded as "Gillebert", and was composed of the pre 7th century a.d. Germanic elements "Gisil", meaning "noble youth", and "berht", bright or famous. Perhaps not surprisingly, given such a meaning, the name was very popular during the Middle Ages or that in time it generated a large number of variant surname spellings. In this case early examples of the surname recordings include: Johun Gibson, who was the keeper of the castle of Rothesay in 1335, whilst John Gybbessone was a follower of the earl of Douglas in 1425, when he was exiled to England. Roland Gibbunson was recorded as being a burgess of Glasgow in 1430, and John Gibbieson was a chorister in Channory of Ross in 1560. As Gebbie and Gibbie the surname is very well recorded in Ayrshire since at least the time of the establishment of church registers in the 17th century. These recordings include Isobell Gebbie, born at Galston on June 4th 1672, Agnas Gebbie, who married John Muir at Kilmaurs, on May 26th 1711, and James Gibbie, a witness at Galston on October 19th 1799.