This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. 'the son of Gilbert' from nick. Gib; v. Gilbert.

'How Gyb, good morne: wheder goys thou?': The Nativity. Towneley Mysteries.

As Tib was the name for a female cat, so was Gib for a male, but the distinction was gradually forgotten: 'Now, master, as I am true wag, I will be neither late, nor lag, But go and come with gossips cheer, Ere Gib, our cat, can lick her ear.'

'For who that's but a queen, fair, sober, wise, Would from a paddock, from a bat, a gib, Such dear concernings hide?': Hamlet.

Hence such opprobrious epithets as '(libber-gib,' or 'flitter-gibbet,' found in Latimer, Burton, and, later, Walter Scott. Gib was also applied to a young gosling (v. Halliwell).

Adam Gibbe, 1311. Writs of Parliament.

Perseval Gybson, Yorkshire,: Corpus Christi Guild (Surtees Society).

Robert Gybbyson, Yorkshire, ibid.

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.

'son of Gib(b), which see, Johun Gibson surrendered the Castle of Rothesay in 1335 (Wyntoun, bk. viii, c. 26), Thomas Gibbeson was charged with breaking of parole in 1358 (Bain, IV, 25), John Gybbessone was servitor of William Douglas, one of the hostages of Henry VI in 1425 (Bain, IV, 986), and Thome Gibson held land in Dumfries in the same year (RMS., II, 22). Thomas Gibsoun was on assize of lands of Gladmor (Gladsmuir) in 1430 (James II, 16), David Gibsone was a charter witness in Glasgow 1451 (REG., 365), and John Gibsoune was chamberlain of that burgh in 1496 (ibid., 472). John Gybson, factor and attorney in 1473 may be the John Gibson, Scottish merchant, who had a safe conduct into England in the same year (Bain, IV, p. 286,408). John Gypsone was tenant of the bishop of Glasgow in 1514 (Rental), William Gibsoun witnessed an instrument of sasine in 1525 (Home, 35), and David Gibson was bailie of the burgh of Dysart in 1543 (Dysart, p. 10). The Gibsons of Caithness and Orkney are mainly of Edinburgh origin and the Gibsons of Durie date from 1500 and held the lands till 1785. Gipson 1540, Gipsone 1592, Gipsoun 1580, Gybsone 1542, Gybsoun 1486.

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.

GIBBIESON: 'son of Gibbie,' a Scots diminutive of Gilbeht, which see. John Gibiesoun, chorister in Channonry of Ross, 1560 (OPS., II, p. 588). Thomas Gibbison, cordiner in Borrowstounes (Bo'ness) is in record in 1655 (Inquis., 4052). Now doubtless merged in Gibson. Gibbisone 1622.

(French-Teut.) Pledge-or Hostage- Bright [French Gilbert, Guilbert,Teut. Gis(e)lber(h)t, Gisalber(h)t —O.Sax. *gísel = O.H.Ger. gísal = Old English gís(e)l = Old Norse gísl, a pledge, hostage + Old Saxon berht = O.H.Ger. beraht = Old English be(o)rht = Old Norse bjart-r, bright] Giselbert Grus, canon and archdeacon of Lisieux, brought William’s charges against Harold before the papal court, for which service he was rewarded with the bishopric of Evreux.— Lappenberg-Thorpe, Anglo-Saxon Kings, ii. 351.

Gilbert is one of the commonest French surnames; it is also found with the dim, suff. -at— Gilbertat.

“Pledge-Bright” in Old German. See Gibb.

(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.

The son of Gib, or Gilbert, sometimes contracted from Gilbertson.

Bright pledge.

The son of Gib or Gilbert.

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

From the Old Norse, Gisli-bjártr; from the Flemish, Gillebaert; from the French, Gibert, Gilbert; in the Domesday Book, Chilbert, Ghilebrid, Giselbert; a personal name.

Gibson. —A north of England name, best represented in the counties of Cumberland, Westmoreland, Durham, and Northumberland. The Gibsons are also very frequent across the Scotch border in the counties of Berwick and Dumfries, and they are well established in the counties south of the Forth and the Clyde. Its area also extends to and includes Notts and Staffordshire, where it abuts on the area of Gibbs. The distribution of these two names in England affords a remarkable example of the separate occupation by two similar names, or more correctly speaking, by two forms of the same name, of two contiguous but distinct regions. Derbyshire, which is on the neutral ground between the northern area of the Gibsons and the southern area of the Gibbses, possesses both names, but in no great numbers.

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.