Origins of the Gibson surname

What does the name Gibson mean?

Gibson is a surname that originates in England. It has a patronymic basis, and derives from someone who was the son or descendant of a person named 'Gib', a pet name for 'Gilbert'. The name appears in records from the 1300s onwards and is more prevalent in the North of England and Scottish borders than the rest of Britain.

Alternative variations of the name Gibson

Gibson, Gibsone, Gibbson, Gibsen, Gybson

Start free trial
I’ve managed to trace back to the mid-1500s! I can’t believe it! Utterly engrossing and I have uncovered some quite moving and heartbreaking stories attached to various ancestors. You don’t need any qualifications to start - just time patience, and some information.
SS
Stuart
1 of 3

Start your family tree

Trace your family back in time. Make new discoveries and see what other Findmypast family historians in our genealogy community have discovered about the Gibsons.

Sign up to get started

Delve deeper into the Gibson family's history

OrkneyShetlandHighlandsWestern IslesGrampianTaysideCentralStrathclydeFifeLothianBordersDumfriesNorth East 4441North West 1301Isle of Man 35Yorkshire 3740East Midlands 985West Midlands 1377East 1128London 4860South East 1372South West 312South Wales 209Mid Wales 39West Wales 11North Wales 90Republic of IrelandNorthern Ireland

In 1921, most Gibsons lived in london

Census records trace your ancestors through each generation, so you can follow where your relatives lived through each decade.

Interesting facts about Gibson

How common is your surname?

89th most common surname in the UK

We have for the Gibson surname. The oldest one dates back to 1100.

Who were Gibsons most likely to marry?

Our tell us which families married Gibsons.

What are the most common Gibson first names?

John

William

Mary

Elizabeth

Our tell us the names of Gibson family members
Man with milk churns and census card collage
Census records provide incredible detail on names, ages, marital statuses, occupations and more.

Common jobs for Gibsons

Men and women often performed different types of jobs, so these are displayed by gender to maintain their historical accuracy.

Commmon female occupations for Gibsons in 1921

Dressmaker

1,486

Domestic Servant

908

House Servant

724

Housekeeper

680

House Keeper

604

Commmon male occupations for Gibsons in 1921

Coal Miner

2,062

Farmer

1,290

Joiner

1,106

General Labourer

1,070

Agricultural Labourer

1,029

We found over 280,000 family trees with the Gibson surname

Trace your family back in time and see what other Findmypast family historians in our genealogy community have discovered about the Gibsons.

Search for a relative in our family trees

Learn more about the lives of Gibson family members

Share your discoveries

Share to WhatsApp

Share to Facebook

Look for a different surname

Paper tear line

Find out more about your family in our records

    or try an advanced search