GIBBONS

GIBBONS - Of Norman settler stock (to Irealand) like the Fitzgibbon familes, the Gibbons families do not, however, share he same ancestry, being in fact lineally descended from the great Burke family of Connacht, of the branch known as MacGibbon Burke and then eventually as Mac Gibbon and Gibons, Gibbons is still notably a Connacht name, and predominately from the Co. Mayo, where the seat of the Mac Gibbon Burkes was in the townlands of North and South Ballymacgibbon near Cong in Kilmaine barony. (5)

Var's: Gibben, Gibbens, Gibbin, Gibbins, Gibbings, Gibbon, Gibbons: (i) Ralph Gibiun (Gibbewin) 1176P (O); Geoffrey Gibewin, Gibwin, Gibeuin, Gubewin 1196, 1208,1213 Cur (So, Nth, Bk). OFr Giboin, OG Gebawin 'gift-friend', surviving in Marsh Gibbon (PN Bk 54), (ii) Gebon, Gilbert Peki 1466-7 Oseney (O); Vitalis, Richard Gibun c1176 Bart, 1202 P (Sx); Thomas Gibon 1317 AssK. Gibb-un a diminutive of Gibb (Gilbert), (iii) William Gibben 1332 SRWa. v. GIBB, GEFFEN. (7)

PATRONYMIC SURNAMES - An abbot of Fontenelle who influenced our nomenclature was 'St Gilbert,' a contemporary and friend of William the Conqueror. A few generations afterwards brought the English St. Gilbert to the fore, and then the name began to grow common, so common that as 'Gib' it became the favourite sobriquet of the feline species ⁽¹⁾In several of our earliest writers it is found in familiar use, and in the Bard of Avon's day it was not forgotten. Falstaff complains of being as melancholy as a 'gib-cat' - that is, an old worn-out cat. Hamlet also says-

For who that's but a queen, fair, sober, wise,

Would from a paddock, from a bat, a gib,

Such dear concernings hide? (iii. 4.)

'To play the gib' was a proverbial phrase for light and wanton behaviour.⁽²⁾ Thus 'Gilbert' has been forced into a somewhat unpleasant notoriety in feline nomenclature. But he was popular enough, too, among the human kind. I tdhat part of the 'Townley Mysteries' which represents the Nativity, one of the shepherds is supposed to hail one of his friends, who is passing by. He addresses him thus:-

How, Gyb, good morne, wheder goys thou ?

The surnames formed from Gilbert, too, prove his popularity. Beside 'Gilbert' himself, we have 'Gibbs,' 'Ginnins,' 'Ginnons,' 'Gibson,' ⁽³⁾ 'Gibbonson,' and 'Gipps,' to say nothing of that famous citizen of credit and renown, 'John Gilpin,' who has immortalized at least his setting of this good old-fashioned name. (2)

^{(1) In the 'Romaunt of the Rose,'
it is said-}

^{' For right no more than Gibbe, our cat,}

^{That awaiteth mice and rattes to killen,}

^{Ne entend I but to beguilen.'}

^{In Peele's 'Edward I.,' too, the Novice says to the Friar-}

^{'Now, Master, as I am true wag,}

^{I will be neighter late, nor lag,}

^{But go and come with gossips cheer,}

^{Ere Gib, our cat, can lick her ear.'}

^{(2) Hence the old term, ' flibber'gib,' or flitter'gibbett,'
employed by Latimer, Burton, &c.; and later by Walter Scott, for one
of vile propensities.}

^{(3)A notorius rascal named 'Gybby
Selby' is mentioned in 'Calendar of State Papers' for 1562. This accords
with 'Robert Gybbyson,' found in the Corpus Christi Guild, York, a few
years earlier.}

Researching: Edward Gibbons m. Catherine McGuish (c. 1850 NSW AUS)

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