This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. 'the son of Gawen." Sir Gawaine was the hero of the battle with the giant Rhyence: 'That Gawain with his olde eurtesie.' Chaucer, The Squire's Tale.

Miss Yonge says, 'His name, whether as Gawain or Gavin, was popular in England and Scotland in the Middle Ages' (v. History Christian Names, ii. 138-9). In North Lancashire Gawen was still a familiar font-name in the 17th century.

Goselena fil. Gawyne, Cambridgeshire, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Peter Gowyn, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Emma Gawyn, 1379: ibid.

1530-1. Gawin Carew and Anne Shelston: Marriage Lic. (London).

1609-10. — William Gawin: St. Dionis Backchurch (London).

Gaven Richardson, 1631: Raine's History and Antiquities of North Durham.

1653. Baptised — Gawne Gilpin: Reg. Ulverston Ch.

Gawen Lowther, of Harthwaite Bank. 1669: Lancashire Wills at Richmond.

1680-1. Buried — An, wife of Gawen Stephenson: ibid.

1687. Baptised — Christopher, son of Gawen Stephenson: ibid.

1706. Baptised — Susanna Maria, d. John Gawin: St. James, Clerkenwell.

1776. Married — Thomas Colly and Catherine Gaven: St. George, Hanover Square.

Alexander Gavin, indweller in Brechin, 1647, and seven more of the name in neighborhood (Brechin). James Gavine, brewer in Potterrow, Edinburgh, 1669 (Edin. App.). John Gavin in Chastletoune, 1682 (Invercauld, p. 264). Gavin was a favorite forename throughout Strathclyde in past times. It is the Scots form of English Gawayne, in French Gauvain, from Geoffrey of Monmouth's Walganus. In the Welsh Arthurian romances it appears as Gwalchmei, the name of the son of Arthur's sister (Rhys, Arthurian legend, p. 13). "This ancient British name, Gwalchmai, which signifies Hawk of Battle, is in the French Romances changed into the not very similar form of Gawain, having first been Liatinized into Walganus and Walweyn" (Mabinogion, ed. Williams, p. 382). Pokorny (Die Ursprung der Arthur-Sage) renders the name 'Falcon of May.' Gavin or Gavine was also a common surname among the gypsies of the Border.

(Celtic) 1 = Gawayn or Gawain, apparently f. the Latinized form—Walwyn-us— of the Welsh Gwalchmai [cp. Welsh gwalch, a hawk; and mai, a field] ...kynge Arthur rode vnto Carlyon, and thyder cam to hym kyng Lots wyf of Orkeney...rychely bisene with her four sones Gawayn, Gaherys, Agrauaynes, and Gareth.—Malory’s Morte d'Arthur, 1. xix.

2 metonymic lor Calf-herd; Dolt [Gaelic gamhainn (mh=v), a calf, stirk, stupid fellow]

A Welsh and O. Scotch personal name. "The Gawens of Norrington, in the parish of Alvideston, continued in that place four hundred fifty and odd yeares. On the south downe of the farme of Broad Chalke is a little barrow called Gawen's Barrow, which must bee before ecclesiastical lawes were established." Aubrey's Nat. Hist. Wiltshire, edit. Britton, p. 121. Sir Gawayn is one of the fabulous heroes of ancient chivalry, and nephew of King Arthur.

Contracted from Mac-an-Gabhain, 'The Smith’s Son'.

The smith in olden times was a very important person­age, as being the maker of armour and weapons, and since this trade, like others in that day, descended from father to son, its designation would soon become used as a surname.

'Maelbrighde Mac-an-Ghobhann', a.d. 1061.

Henry Gawen was 'Atturney' in 1517.

Or Goin. William Goin of Normandy 1180 (Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae). Andrew Goiun of England c. 1272 (RII). The family of Gawen was seated in Wilts, and that of Goin or Going settled in Ireland.