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Irish surname

Gilbert: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Gilbeart · 'son of Gilbert,' a Norman personal name of Teutonic origin

Woulfe (1923) gives Gilbert as an anglicised form of Gilbeart, 'son of Gilbert,' a Norman personal name of Teutonic origin, and says that as a surname Gilbert is not very old in Ireland. In 1890, Matheson recorded 16 Gilbert birth entries in Ireland, with Dublin and Antrim given as the counties in which principally found.

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Coat of arms associated with the Gilbert surname
Irish formGilbeart
Meaning'son of Gilbert,' a Norman personal name of Teutonic origin
CountiesDublin, Antrim
Other spellings4

Origin of the Gilbert name

Woulfe: 'a Norman personal name of Teutonic origin', appearing in Domesday Book as 'Gislebertus'. The diminutive Gibbon (Giobún) 'was the usual form of the name among the Anglo-Normans in Ireland, where, as a surname, Gilbert is not very old.'[1]

  1. 1824Eliza Gilbert (Lola Montez) born at Limerick, per Webb.[4]
  2. 189016 Gilbert birth entries in Ireland; Dublin and Antrim principally.[3]

Where in Ireland

Co. DublinNamed by Matheson among 'counties in which principally found' (1890 births).[3]
Co. AntrimNamed by Matheson among 'counties in which principally found' (1890 births).[3]

Notable people named Gilbert

Eliza Gilbert (Lola Montez)1824-1861Webb lists her under Gilbert: born Limerick 1824, 'her parents were not Irish'; dancer; died New York, 17 January 1861.[4]

Other spellings

Gilbertson · Gilberson · M'Gilbert · M'Gillebert[2]

The Gilbert coat of arms

The design shown is a coat of arms associated with the Gilbert surname. In Irish and British heraldry a coat of arms is granted to one person and passes to their heirs; it does not belong to everyone who shares the surname. Many families still use the arms of their name as a symbol of their heritage.

Gilbert crest gifts

Clan Gilbert Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapWQ21 Classic Cap - Gilbert Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Gilbert Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap£33.00Clan Gilbert Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap ZG28 Gilbert Coat Of Arms Irish Cap Gilbert Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap£26.00

Gilbert surname: questions

What does the surname Gilbert mean?

Woulfe gives Gilbert as an anglicised form of Gilbeart, 'son of Gilbert,' a Norman personal name of Teutonic origin that appears in Domesday Book as 'Gislebertus'.[1]

Is Gilbert an Irish or a Norman name?

Woulfe calls the personal name Gilbert Norman and of Teutonic origin, and says that 'as a surname, Gilbert is not very old' in Ireland. He gives the diminutive Gibbon (Giobún) as the usual form of the name among the Anglo-Normans in Ireland.[1]

Is Mac Gilbeirt the same as Gilbert?

Woulfe prints Gilbert among the forms listed under Mac Gilbeirt, Mac Gillibeirt ('son of Gilbert'), together with M'Gillebert, M'Gilbert, Gilbertson and Gilberson.[2]

Where in Ireland is the Gilbert name found?

Matheson recorded 16 Gilbert birth entries in Ireland in 1890 (Leinster 9, Munster 1, Ulster 5, Connaught 1) and gives Dublin and Antrim as the counties in which principally found.[3]

Sources

  1. Gilbeart — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/g/gilbeart.php
  2. Mac Gilbeirt, Mac Gillibeirt — Irish Names and Surnames (Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/macg/mac-gilbeirt-mac-gillibeirt.php
  3. Gilbert — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/gilbert.php
  4. Gilbert, Eliza — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/ElizaGilbert.php

Note: Matheson's 1890 figures for a surname include its spelling varieties (Matheson, Table Explanation).