Gillebert

This interesting medieval English surname is one of the patronymic forms of the popular medieval pet name "Gib", which is a short form of the personal name "Gilbert", introduced into England by the Normans after the Conquest of 1066. This Norman personal name was originally "Gislebert, Gillebert", composed of the Germanic elements "gisil", hostage or noble youth, and "berht", meaning bright or famous. Gilbert itself became very popular, partly as a result of the fame of St. Gilbert of Sempringham (1085 - 1189), the founder of the only native English monastic order. Other patronymic surnames from this source include Gibbs (found in the West, South-West and Midland regions of England), Gibbes, Gipps, Gypps, Gipson and Gibson (found in Scotland and Northumberland). The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire record one Richard Gibbeson in 1327. Thomas Gibbeson married Margret Lowes on January 17th 1608, at All Saints, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, Northumberland. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Henry Gibsone, which was dated 1311, in the "Records of the Borough of Nottinghamshire", during the reign of King Edward 11, known as "Edward of Caernafon", 1307 - 1327. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.