This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. 'the son of Giffard.'

Giffard le Bretun, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Giffard Piscator. ibid.

--- fil. Reynold, Buckinghamshire, ibid.

Gifford Wyting, Somerset, ibid.

Giffard de Lucerna, 20 Edward I: Placita de Quo Warranto, temp. Edward I-III.

Johanna Juffard, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Johannes Juffard, 1379: ibid.

Henry Giffard, Somerset, 1 Edward III: Kirby's Quest.

A surname derived from the personal appearance of the first bearer, i.e. one fat and rubicund. Roquefort (Dictionnaire de la langue romane) defines Ciffarde as "Joufloue, qui a des grosses joues-servante de cuisine, ' and Metivier (Dictionnaire franconormand) gives Ciffair, "rite comme un joufflu," and adds, "Telle est l'origine de l'illustre famiile Normande de Giffard, nom repandu tres au dela de cette province et de nos iles." Du Cange gives Giffardus, "ancilla coquina." Sir Hugh Gifford is said to have settled in East Lothian in the reign of David I (i.e. before 1153), but the earliest charter in the family archives at Yester House is one by William the Lion dated 1186 confirming Sir Hugh in possession of estates granted him by Malcolm IV (Yester). Hugh Giffard, Walter Giffard, and William Giffard were witnesses to a charter by Countess Ada, to Alexander de St. Martin, c. 1153—77 (Laing, 2). Hugh Gifard also witnessed a charter by William the Lion c. 1178—80 (RAA., I, 36), and a charter by Duncan, earl of Fife to the nuns of North Berwick (CMN,, 5). William Giffard, "the second of the Ciffards of Yester was witness to numerous royal charters from before 1195 to after 1204; envoy to England in 1200; and alive in 1244" (Inchaffray, p. 268). In 1250 a mandate was directed to the bishops of St. Andrews and Dunkeld, at the request of the king of Scotland, to assign to Richard called 'Giffard,' kinsman of the king, who is going to the Holy Land with five knights at his own expense, four hundred marks out of the redemption of Crusaders' vows, and legacies, etc. (Pap. Lett,, I, p. 261.) Andreas Giffard was bailie of Aberdeen, 1408, and Willmus Giffard common councillor, 1435 (Guildry,p. 185—186). James Gifhert and Danthe Gifferte were tenants on lands of the Abbey of Kelso, 1563 and 1567 (Kelso, p. 325,523). The village of Gifford in East Lothian was named from the family. Its earlier name was Ystrad (now Yester). In England the G is pronounced soft. Gefard 1660, Gefart 1405, Gefurt, Gifhart, and Gyfhart 1572 (all three spellings in same document), Giffart 1584, Giffert 1405, Goffurd 1296, Gyffarde 1462, Gyffort 1526.

For Giffard, q.v.

(English, Scottish) Descendant of Giffard (give, bold); one with fat cheeks.

The old historical Giffards of Normandy and England descended from the De Bollebecs, who were connected by marriage with Richard I., Duke of Normandy. Walter, son of Osborne de Bollebec, though surnamed "Giffard," or "the Liberal," seems also to have been conservative in the acquisition and retention of lands; for he got not only the fair domain of Longueville, near Dieppe, from Richard H. of Normandy, who created him Count de Longueville, but also the Earldom of Buckingham, with above a hundred manors in various counties of England, from William I., whom he had accompanied to the Conquest of this country. In Leland's time there were four "notable houses" of Gifford remaining in England, in the cos. of Devon, Southampton, Stafford, and Buckingham. At the present time the only one of these existing is the Staffordshire family, whose ancestor married the heiress of Corbosone, temp. King Stephen, and thus became Lord of Chillington, which has ever since been the abode of his posterity. Shirley's Noble and Gentle Men of England.

(Saxon.) Liberal disposition; the giver. The name is also local, a town on the water of Gifford, Haddington Co., Scotland, from Gaf Celtic, a hook, a bend, and ford.

From the French, Giffard; a personal name Or Gifford, a location name in Haddington Giffard in Roll of Battell Abbey. Gifard, a tenant in chief in the Domesday Book.

The name of Gifford is now established in Cambridgeshire, Hunts, Dorset, and Somerset. In the form of Giffard it was common in the 13th century in Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, and Oxfordshire (H. R.). The early Giffards were descended from the Giffards of Normandy, their first ancestor in this country having received from William the Conqueror over a hundred manors in different parts of England: there were four principal families last century, those of Devon, Hants, Bucks, and Staffordshire, the last named only now existing (L.). In the 17th century there were old established gentle families of the name in Devonshire, residing at Brightlegh, Weare, and Tiverton (Westcote's "Devonshire.").