Contents [hide]

Ginn History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Citations

Ginn History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Wales
Ireland

Etymology of Ginn

What does the name Ginn mean?

From the Celtic land of Wales came the name Ginn. This name initially evolved from person with light-colored hair or a pale complexion; the surname Ginn may have also been applied to someone who habitually wore white or pale-colored clothing. The name Ginn, one of only a few Welsh nickname surnames, is derived from the Welsh word "gwyn," which means "fair" or "white." Other references claim the name is derived from the words "llwch" meaning "dust" or gwin meaning "wine." 1 2

According to Welsh tradition, the Adar Llwch Gwin were giant birds given to Drudwas ap Tryffin by his fairy wife. The birds obeyed their master and assisted him in battle. The term later appeared in Welsh poetry to describe hawks, falcons and occasionally brave men.

Gwenwynwyn (d. 1218?), Prince of Powys, "was the eldest son of Owain Cyveiliog, prince of Powys. In 1186 he is first mentioned as joining with his brother Cadwallon in slaying Owain, son of Madog, by treachery. In 1196 he was engaged in war with Archbishop Hubert Walter and an army of English and North Welsh. His castle of Trallong Llewelyn was besieged and taken by undermining the walls; but the garrison escaped, and before the end of the year Gwenwynwyn again took the castle ." 3

Early Origins of the Ginn family

The surname Ginn was first found in Breconshire (Welsh: Sir Frycheiniog), a traditional county in southern Wales, which takes its name from the Welsh kingdom of Brycheiniog (5th-10th centuries.) "Gwyn, however, is a very old and has often been a distinguished South Wales name, especially in Brecknockshire." 4

Thomas filius Win was listed in Shropshire in 1255; and Wyn, Win was found in Ellesmere in 1280. 5

Early History of the Ginn family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ginn research. Another 100 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1508, 1515, 1537, 1543, 1558, 1568, 1584, 1588, 1591, 1623, 1627, 1648, 1650, 1654, 1662, 1673, 1687, 1734, 1746, 1787, 1890 and 1970 are included under the topic Early Ginn History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ginn Spelling Variations

Compared to other ancient cultures found in the British Isles, the number of Welsh surnames are relatively few, but there are an inordinately large number of spelling variations. These spelling variations began almost as soon as surname usage became common. Clerks would then spell the names as they heard them, causing many different variations. Later, many Welsh names were recorded in English. This transliteration process was extremely imprecise since the Brythonic Celtic language of the Welsh used many sounds the English language was not accustomed to. Finally, some variations occurred by the individual's design: a branch loyalty within a family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations were indicated by spelling variations of one's name. The Ginn name over the years has been spelled Gwynne, Gwin, Gwine, Gwinn, Gwinne, Gwyn, Gwynn and many more.

Early Notables of the Ginn family

Prominent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was Saint Richard Gwyn (ca. 1537-1584), also known as Richard White, a Welsh school teacher, martyred high treason in 1584 but later canonised by Pope Paul VI in 1970; George Gwynne (c 1623-1673), a Welsh politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1654 and 1662; Francis Gwyn PC (1648-1734), a Welsh politician and official; and Eleanor "Nell" Gwyn...
Another 71 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ginn Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ginn Ranking

In the United States, the name Ginn is the 3,577^th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 6 However, in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Ginn is ranked the 689^th most popular surname with an estimated 63 people with that name. 7

Migration of the Ginn family to Ireland

Some of the Ginn family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 59 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ginn migration to the United States +

Many Welsh joined the great migrations to North America in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Like their Scottish and Irish neighbors, many Welsh families left their homeland hoping to find hope and prosperity in a land that the English did not exercise a tight rule over. Those Welsh immigrants that successfully traveled to North America went on to make significant contributions to the rapid development of both Canada and the United States in terms of the settling of land and the establishment of industry. They also added to the rich cultural heritage of both countries. An examination into the immigration and passenger lists has discovered a number of people bearing the name Ginn:

Ginn Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Thomas Ginn, who landed in New England in 1769 8

Ginn Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Ann Ginn, aged 50, who arrived in New York, NY in 1804 8
Jane Ginn, aged 20, who landed in New York, NY in 1804 8
John Ginn, aged 28, who landed in New York, NY in 1804 8
Margaret Ginn, aged 26, who arrived in New York, NY in 1804 8
James Ginn, who arrived in America in 1806 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Ginn Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Sadie Ginn, aged 7, who immigrated to the United States from Antrim, in 1906
Jennie Ginn, aged 25, who landed in America from Antrim, in 1906
Hannah Ginn, aged 21, who immigrated to America from Castlegregory, Ireland, in 1907
William Ginn, aged 30, who landed in America from Belfast, Ireland, in 1907
Maud Ginn, who immigrated to the United States from Larne, Ireland, in 1909
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Ginn migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Ginn Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century

Alice Ginn, aged 32, who settled in Toronto, Canada, in 1916
Dorothy Ginn, aged 19, who settled in St. John's, Newfoundland in 1922
Frederick R Ginn, aged 51, who immigrated to Toronto, Canada, in 1923

Ginn migration to Australia +

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

Ginn Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Benjamin Ginn, British Convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Coromandel" on 27th October 1819, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 9
Mr. James Ginn, (b. 1813), aged 22, English sheperd who was convicted in Essex, England for life for highway robbery, transported aboard the "Aurora" on 18th June 1835, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died 1885 10
Mr. Robert Ginn, English convict who was convicted in Northampton, Northamptonshire, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Equestrian" on 25th January 1844, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Island) 11

Contemporary Notables of the name Ginn (post 1700) +

Hubert Ginn (1947-2023), American professional football player
Tinsley Rucker Ginn (1891-1931), American Major League Baseball outfielder
Ted Ginn Sr. (b. 1955), American football coach
Edwin Ginn (1838-1914), American publisher and philanthropist
Theodore "Ted" Ginn Jr. (b. 1985), American NFL football wide receiver
Gregory Regis Ginn (b. 1954), American guitarist, songwriter, and singer
Edward Robert "Bobby" Ginn III, former chairman and CEO of Ginn Resorts, co-founder of Ginn Racing
Stewart Ginn (b. 1949), Australian professional golfer

The Ginn Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Vim vi repellere licet
Motto Translation: It is lawful to repel force by force.

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
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)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 12th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 20th August 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/aurora
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 4th May 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/equestrian