This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. 'the son of Gilbert'; Old Frank Giselbert. That at least twenty surnames, more or less familiar, are founded upon 'Gilbert,' need cause little surprise. It seemed to exercise a fascination over our ancestors. The Gilbertines were an English order, founded in the 12th century by St. Gilbert, who was born at Sempringham, Lincolnshire There were numerous convents of this order at the time of the suppression. The name was naturally popular. The nick, was Gib, the chief diminutive 'on'; hence Gibbon. The different corruptions of Gibbon are given in their place. Diminutives in 'let' and 'ling' give us our Gibletts and Giblings (Lond. Dir). Gilpin was formed from Gilb-in (v. Gilpin) and was peculiar to the North of England.

Isolda fil. Gilberti, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Robert Gilbertus, ibid.

Eustace fil. Gilebert, ibid.

Nicholas Gilberdson, 1379: Poll Tax of Howdenshire.

Johannes Gilberd, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

From the Old English personal name Gislbe(o)rht, 'bright hostage.' The early popularity of this name in Scotland was due to its having been taken up as equivalent to Gilbride, which see, a name with which it has no connection either in etymology or meaning. It became a favorite name in the family of the early earls of Strathern, and was a common Christian name in Galloway in the fourteenth century. A payment was made by John filius Gilbert, bailie of Boyet (Bute), in 1329 (ER., I, p. 184). Gilbert or Gilbreid McGloid in Tiree, 1541 (ER., XVII, p. 614). Michael Gilbert was burgess of Glasgow, 1562 (RPC., I, p. 229), and another Michael Gilbert, a rich jeweller, was bailie of Edinburgh, 1588 (Stodart). Gilbert is the parent of many other names as Gibb, Gibbon, Gibson, etc.

'son of Gilbert,' which see. Johan Gilberdes sone del counte de Pebbles rendered homage, 1296 (Bain, II, p. 207). Arbrenes in the barony of Buittle was leased to Gilbert fil. Gilberti in 1376 (RHM., I, p. lix). Johannes Gilberti is mentioned in 1398 (CRA., p. 373), Sir William Gilbertson, a cleric, had lease of part of the church of Glenyleff, 1471 (Cupar-Angus, I, p. 219), David Gylbardi appears in 1495 (Cawdor, p. 84), and William Gilberti was a witness in Brechin in 1552 (REB., I, 233). Arche Gilbertsone was declared innocent of the detention of King James III in Edinburgh Castle in 1482 (Lennox, II, p. 123). Gilbertson is also a Shetland surname.

Gilbert’s Son: v. Gilbert.

(English) Descendant of Gilbert (pledge, bright).

A personal name, largely introduced at the Norman Conquest, in the form of Gislebertus. See Domesd. passim. It is not only a very common surname, but has given birth to Gibb, Gibbs, Gybbes, Gibbard, Gibbings, Gibbonson, Gibson, Gill, Gilks, Gilpin, and many others.

Bright pledge.

(German.) Bright pledge, from Gisle, a pledge; or gold—like, bright, from the Saxon Geele, yellow.

Contracted from MacGibbon, ‘Gilbert’s Son.' ‘The descendants of Gilbert Fitzgerald, a younger son of John Fitzgerald, ancestor of the houses of Kildare and Desmond, assumed the appellation of MacGibbon'.

Gilbert. —This name has its principal home in the midland counties of Leicester and Rutland, Northampton, Warwick, and Worcester. It is for the most part a name of the midlands, being absent in the north beyond Staffordshire and Lincolnshire. It has, however, a secondary and independent home in Cornwall and Devon.

If we regard Gibbs and Gibson as derivatives of Gilbert, then we find that Gilbert in its original shape, or in the form of either of its two commonest derivatives, is generally speaking absent or rare in the south - east quarter of England. Thus it is to be observed that the counties of Beds, Berks, Cambridge, Essex. Hants, Herts, Hunts, Middlesex, Suffolk, and Sussex are not mentioned in my lists; whilst in Kent and Norfolk the names are not very numerous. It will also appear from the lists that the name is not very frequent in Wales, and is absent or rare in all the English counties on the Welsh border (Cheshire, Shropshire, Herefordshire, and Monmouthshire). Warwickshire ranks far above all other counties as the home of Gilbert, or its derivative, Gibbs. Next come Gloucestershire and Worcestershire; and the counties on both sides of the Scotch border, which form the main stronghold of the Gibsons. It would therefore seem that the two great centres of this name and its principal derivatives are in the north of England and adjacent part of Scotland and in the western midlands.