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Show ContentsGibb History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Gibb Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Gibb

What does the name Gibb mean?

The Gibb surname is thought to have evolved in Britain, from the common medieval personal names Gibbon, or Gib. There was also a place named Marsh Gibbon, Buckinghamshire, listed in the Great Domesday Book of 1086, and the surname may have been taken on from the place name.

Alternatively, the name may be a nickname as this source explains: "as Tib was the name for a female cat, so was Gib for a male, but the distinction was gradually forgotten." 1

And a few sources note that the name is "a pet form of Gilbert (pledge, bright)" 2 3 4

Early Origins of the Gibb family

The surname Gibb was first found in Southern England, where a Ralph Gibiun (or Gibbewin) was on record in the Pipe Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1176. Geoffrey Gibewin (Gibwin) was listed several times in Curia Regis Rolls, in Somerset in 1196, in Northamptonshire in 1208, and in Buckinghamshire in 1213. A Gibbe de Huckenhale was on record in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire of 1179. 4

The Writs of Parliament list Adam Gibbe, 1311, but no place name. 1

Early History of the Gibb family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gibb research. Another 93 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1000, 1513, 1570, 1573, 1583, 1585, 1589, 1600, 1601, 1603, 1604, 1605, 1610, 1611, 1615, 1625, 1627, 1629, 1638, 1640, 1642, 1644, 1647, 1648, 1660, 1676, 1697, 1718, 1721, 1771 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Gibb History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gibb Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Gibbon, Gibbons, Gib, Gibb, Gibbs and others.

Early Notables of the Gibb family

Notables of the family at this time include

  • Gibbon or Guybon, who was Sheriff of Norfolk in 1513; Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625), English composer and organist at Westminster Abbey; and Ellis Gibbons (1573-1603), an English composer, one of the ol...
  • Christopher Gibbons (1615-1676), was an English composer and organist; and Grinling Gibbons (1648-1721), English (Rotterdam-born from English parents) wood-carver and sculptor, regarded as England's f...
  • Charles Gibbon (fl. 1589-1604), was a miscellaneous writer, was a member of Cambridge University, but there is no record of his having graduated. He was probably in holy orders, and appears to have re...
  • John Gibbon (1629-1718), was a writer on heraldry, eldest son of Robert Gibbon, draper, of London, fourth son of Robert Gibbon of Rolvenden, Kent. 5
  • Nicholas Gibbon or Gibbons the Elder (fl. 1600), was a theological writer, matriculated as pensioner at Clare Hall, Cambridge, in June 1585
  • Hi son, Nicholas Gibbon the Younger (1605-1697), was an English divine, son of Nicholas Gibbon of Heckford, Dorsetshire, born at Poole in 1605. 5

Gibb Ranking

In the United States, the name Gibb is the 9,696th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 6 However, in New Zealand, the name Gibb is ranked the 613rd most popular surname with an estimated 1,169 people with that name. 7

Migration of the Gibb family to Ireland

Some of the Gibb family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 73 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gibb migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Gibb Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Andrew Gibb, who joined the "Gardiners," who bought Long Island from the native North Americans in 1655
  • James Gibb, who settled in Maryland in 1674
  • John Gibb, who arrived in East New Jersey in 1685
Gibb Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Alexander Gibb, who settled in Maryland in 1730
Gibb Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • James Gibb, who landed in America in 1801 8
  • John Gibb, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1823 8
  • David Gibb, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1841 8
  • Andrew Gibb, who landed in Mississippi in 1844 8

Gibb migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Gibb Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Robert Gibb, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750
Gibb Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Hugh Gibb, aged 23, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Bartley" in 1833
  • Mrs. Mary Gibb, aged 32 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Virgilia" departing 22nd July 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 20th September 1847 but she died on board 9

Gibb migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Gibb Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • George Gibb, Scottish convict from Edinburgh, who was transported aboard the "Agamemnon" on April 22, 1820, settling in New South Wales, Australia 10
  • Mr. Andrew Gibb, (b. 1800), aged 31, Scottish farmer who was convicted in Perth, Scotland for 14 years, transported aboard the "Exmouth" on 3rd March 1831, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1842 11
  • Mr. Robert Gibb, (b. 1803), aged 32, English solider from Northumberland who was convicted in Colombo, Sri Lanka for 14 years for manslaughter, transported aboard the "Clorinda" on 23rd February 1835, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 12
  • Mr. William Gibb, Scottish convict who was convicted in Edinburgh, Scotland for 10 years, transported aboard the "Barossa" on 8th December 1839, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 13
  • William Gibb, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Lysander" in 1840 14
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Gibb migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Gibb Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Peter Gibb, Scottish settler from Dunfermline travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Strathfieldsaye" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 29th April 1858 15
  • Mr. Stewart Gibb, (b. 1836), aged 24, British shepherd travelling from Bristol aboard the ship "Matoaka" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 2nd December 1860 16
  • Mr. Charles Gibb, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Storm Cloud" arriving in Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 30th July 1861 15
  • Mrs. Gibb, Scottish settler with 4 children travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Storm Cloud" arriving in Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 30th July 1861 15
  • James Gibb, aged 25, who arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand aboard the ship "Accrington" in 1863 16
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Gibb (post 1700) +

  • Russ "Uncle" Gibb (1931-2019), American concert promoter, and media personality from Dearborn, Michigan, best known for his role in the Paul is Dead phenomenon
  • Robert D. Gibb, American fighter pilot and flying ace in the U.S. Army Air Forces, during World War II, credited with 5 aerial victories
  • Matthew Gibb, American politician, Supervisor of Orion Township, Michigan, 2009 17
  • Laurence V. Gibb (1899-1967), American Republican politician, Justice of the peace; Investigator 17
  • David N. Gibb (1806-1886), American politician, Member of Vermont State House of Representatives, 1866, 1868-69 17
  • Andrew Roy Gibb (1958-1988), English born, Australian singer, one of the "the BeeGees"
  • Barry Gibb CBE (b. 1946), one of the English born brothers who made up the singing group "the BeeGees," as well as their brother Andrew Roy Gibb (1958-1988), English born, Australian singer
  • Colin Gibb (1953-2024), born Colin Routh, British musician, best known as an original member of Black Lace
  • Robert Gibb (d. 1837), Scottish landscape-painter, a native of Dundee, an associate of the Royal Institution, Edinburgh
  • Sir Frank Gibb (1928-2013), British construction executive, CEO and Chairman of Taylor Woodrow
  • ... (Another 4 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
HMS Cornwall
  • Charles Alexander Gibb, British Captain Paymaster aboard the HMS Cornwall (1942) when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he survived the sinking 18
HMS Hood
  • Mr. Stanley D Gibb (b. 1919), Scottish Wireman serving for the Royal Navy from Dundee, Angus, Scotland, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 19
  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  3. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  4. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  5. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  6. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  7. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  8. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  9. Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 77)
  10. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Agamemnon voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1820 with 179 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/agamemnon/1820
  11. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th May 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/exmouth
  12. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 18th February 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/clorinda
  13. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/barossa
  14. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) LYSANDER 1840. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1840Lysander.htm
  15. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  16. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  17. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 9) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  18. Force Z Survivors Crew List HMS Cornwall (Retrieved 2018, February 13th) - Retrieved from https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listcornwallcrew.html#A
  19. H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
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