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
(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.
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:
- 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
Sources yet to be consulted