Gibbon of Aberdeen, Scotland

Our family has no known connection to Gibbon of England.
We begin with:

Arthur Gibbon.
He was born in Echt, Aberdeenshire (W of Aberdeen, see map and map).
[Barbara Yates Gibbon family tree] says he was born in 1614. But this seems too early.
His son got married in 1729 (which is the first definite date in the family tree).
He left Echt and moved to Aberdeen city.

Extract from map of 1654.
Shows Echt (top left, near Loch of Skene) and Aberdeen and Torry (near Aberdeen).

Echt, Aberdeenshire.
Photo 1998.
See larger and full size.

Street view of the same road into Echt.
A bit further out of town.

The Gibbon arms

The Gibbon arms (with three scallop shells) were granted to Gibbon of Rolvenden, Kent in 1629.
Similar arms were granted to Gibbon of Dorset in 1681.

Our family is Gibbon of Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
They have no known connection to Gibbon of England.
However in the 19th century they were granted the right to use a version of these Gibbon arms.
The expense book of Arthur Augustus Gibbon records periodic payments of fees to the College of Arms for an Armorial Bearings Licence, various dates 1878 through 1893. Arthur Augustus Gibbon used the arms constantly.

The papers of our Gibbon family focused on the grant of Gibbon arms to Gibbon of Dorset in 1681. Though there is no known connection to our family.
Arthur Augustus Gibbon had the stained glass crest made in 1881, on the 200th anniversary of the grant of arms in 1681.
However, the Gibbon arms are older than 1681. Gibbon of Dorset are only one Gibbon family to whom the arms (or similar) were granted.

The motto: The motto used by our Gibbons is "Per Mare et Terras" ("By sea and land").
Our Gibbons, of Aberdeen, were a maritime family. I am not sure if this motto was invented for our Gibbons in the 19th century, or is older.

The Gibbon coat of arms. On paper.
There are multiple copies of this in Gibbon papers. Look like they are all cut out from some printed forms or notepaper with the Gibbon arms.
See larger and full size.
See other photo.
See other version.

The Gibbon coat of arms.
Stained glass in our family.
Painted for Arthur Augustus Gibbon by "Herr Ziebert" in 1881.
See larger and full size.
See other shot.

Arms of a Thomas Gibbons, dated 1660.
Christow church, Devon.
From Christine Gibbins.

Gibbon the ape

Everyone with the surname Gibbon wonders if it is something to do with the apes called gibbons.
The answer is complex, and may be yes.

The name "gibbon" for the apes (Buffon, 1766)

The family of apes called gibbons were first given their name in print by the great French naturalist Buffon in 1766 in Histoire naturelle.

Buffon introduces the word "gibbon" for the apes.
From p.92 of Histoire naturelle, vol.14, Paris, 1766.

English translation of the notes.
From p.185 of Buffon's Natural History, English translation, vol.9, London, 1807.

Origin before Buffon

Buffon above says the word "gibbon" was introduced to France by Joseph Francois Dupleix (French governor general in India 1742-1754, died 1763).
There has been much debate over where the word comes from before this. Some sources say "gibbon" is French (perhaps because used by the French in India). Some say it is native Indian or native Malaysian. Other sources say it is derived from "gib" (see following).

Gilbert, Gibbon and Gib

The surname Gibbon:
- The surname Gibbon or Gibbons derives from "Gibb", a short form of Gilbert.
Gib the cat:
- Gilbert is the name of the cat in the fables of Reynard the Fox (12th century).
- Perhaps as a result of these stories, Gilbert or Gib seems to have caught on as a cat's name.
- "Gibbe" is the name of the cat in Chaucer's "Romaunt of the Rose" (14th century).
- A gib cat became a word for a male cat, especially a castrated male cat.

Possible British origin for the ape name

Entry for "gibbon" on p.778 of 1910 edn of An Etymological Dictionary of the English Language by Walter W. Skeat.
Screenshot is from a reprint.
This suggests quite a plausible theory - that the French in early-mid 18th century India got the name not from the natives but from the British in India.
The origin may be related to "gib" the cat.
Or the ape could even be named after some British man called Gibbon.

Gibbon the historian is not the origin

The most famous person of this surname was Edward Gibbon the historian. Though he was not famous until 1776, long after the ape was named.
It is interesting that Buffon, who named the gibbon in print in 1766, knew Gibbon the historian. They met through Suzanne Curchod (Madame Necker).
Could Buffon have named the ape after him?
The dates say no, that clearly did not happen:
- Buffon named the gibbon in 1766, with a clear story of where he got the name.
- Buffon only met Madame Necker in 1774.
- Buffon only met Gibbon in 1777. Gibbon greatly admired him.
We can rule out Gibbon the historian being related to the naming of gibbon the ape.
However it is fascinating that some earlier Mr. Gibbon may be the origin of the name.

References

Gibbon papers.
Gibbon graves, Nigg Bay, Aberdeen.
Gibbon family tree. Initially by Alexander Gibbon of Johnston. Revised by William Henry Gibbon.
- See copy and other copy and other copy.
- See other version.
- This tree shows only two grandchildren for the author Alexander Gibbon so that original part must date from 1866-1868.
- The rest of the tree shows the author William Henry Gibbon's 2nd marriage but not the children of it. So looks like it was done at his 2nd marriage in 1883. Though there are later additions by someone else.
Gibbon family tree, initially by Barbara Yates Gibbon in 1872.
- See main page (and close-up LHS and RHS). See p.2 and p.3. This copy has had later 19th-20th century additions made to it.
- Later family tree work by Mildred Gibbon and Ralph Gibbons. A new mid-20th century tree was drawn up.
Notes in Gibbon papers of BMD dates etc., for family tree.
- Notes p.1 and p.2.
- Notes on Hunter and Reebkomp and Gibbon and Yeats.
- Notes p.1 and p.2.
Gibbon and Wells family trees by John Gibbons.

Sources yet to be consulted

The Gibbon Families of Stonehaven and Aberdeen, David and Sally Wyllie, Slow Publishing, 2020.

Miscellaneous Gibbon of Aberdeenshire

Lewis Grassic Gibbon

Miscellaneous Gibbon (of England)