The Gibb surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 3,502 people carried this name — #9,293 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 84,000 people counted. That is down 2% from 3,575 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Gibb surname

A surname transferred from the given name.

Derived from a Middle English diminutive of the name Gilbert

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Gibb» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a baptismal name, from a given name: ‘the son of Gilbert’.

An early record he cites: Adam Gibbe, 1311 — Writs of Parliament.

His entry covers Gibb, Gibbs, Gibbe, Gibbes, Gibson and Gibby.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 315 · public domain.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 8 births for the Gibb name in 1890.

They were registered in all four provinces, most of all in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 400 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. 3 of them were indexed under other spellings of the name.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born, 1890

Ulster 4
Munster 2
Connacht 1
Leinster 1

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In Scotland, 1880s

Gibb was 12 in every 10,000 names in Scotland.

That is about 1 in 833. Its home there, in Guppy’s words: “Generally distributed, but rare in the north.” He counted the more than 20,000 names in Halliburton’s County Directory of Scotland, taking Scotland as a whole, and listed only the names that reached 10 in every 10,000.

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), appendix: alphabetical list of the most frequent Scottish names, p. 589 — public domain · names in Halliburton’s County Directory of Scotland, per 10,000 for the whole country.

In Scotland’s registers today

Gibb was recorded 114 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 216th most common name in those registers. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 181. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In print

Gibb in American newspapers,
1906–1915.

Newspaper page from The Sun carrying the name Gibb
The Sun 1911-01-21
Newspaper page from Bryan Daily Eagle And Pilot carrying the name Gibb
Bryan Daily Eagle And Pilot 1915-03-27
Newspaper page from Ottumwa Tri-weekly Courier carrying the name Gibb
Ottumwa Tri-weekly Courier 1906-12-04

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 346,421 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Gibb in Australian newspapers,
1830s–2000s.

41,198 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Gibb. The most, 7,211, date from the 1900s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Western Australia, at 1.6 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 16,024
Victoria 10,307
Western Australia 5,458
Queensland 5,067
South Australia 3,144
Tasmania 872
ACT (Canberra) 223
Northern Territory 13

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Gibb.

Who carried it

People named Gibb,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Douglas G. Gibb d. 1970 · supervisor
  • Edward Gibb d. 1900 · painter
  • Marie Gibb d. 1997
  • Alti Edith Gibb d. 1940
  • Colin Gibb d. 1839
  • Barbara Waring Gibb d. 1990

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Gibb,
in the records of 8 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States906 records

906 records of the Gibb name in the United States
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 294
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 209
  • Other U.S. records 403
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Glenn C. Gibb

    Born 1918 in New Hampshire. Enlisted 1941 at Manchester; gardener. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 2001, buried at Pine Grove Cemetery, Barrington, New Hampshire.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record William B. Gibb

    Born 1909 in United Kingdom. Enlisted 1942 at Fort Jay Governors Island, New York; construction worker. U.S. Army veteran; died 1954, buried at Long Island National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Maggie Gibb

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Ethiopia from Glasgow, aged 20; servant. From Londonderry, Ireland; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 906 records for Gibb in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia1,087 records

1,087 records of the Gibb name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 663
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 161
  • Other Australian records 263
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record James Macbeth Gibb

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Ariadne, arriving 1839; ticket of leave 1857. Native of Kilmarnock.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record James R. Gibb

    Arrived in Victoria in 1852 aboard the Norna, aged 25; Scottish.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Gilbert Stanley Gibb

    Retired of W Brunswick, Victoria; died 1972.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 1,087 records for Gibb in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada159 records

159 records of the Gibb name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 52
  • City of Winnipeg cemetery records 31
  • Other Canadian records 76
  1. The first page of an emigration file from Gündlingen, Baden, 1883
    Example: German emigration file, 1883
    Emigration record Frank Gibb

    Left New York in 1783 aboard the Friends, bound for Halifax, aged 9.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record John Gibb

    Came to Ontario in 1871 aboard the Thames, bound for Bracebridge, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Samuel Gibb

    Buried in 1966 at Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia, aged 56.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.

Showing 3 of 159 records for Gibb in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Emigration file, Gündlingen, 1883, Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Staatsarchiv Freiburg B 694/1 Nr. 1389 (CC BY 4.0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

United Kingdom93 records

93 records of the Gibb name in the United Kingdom
  • Stirling Council burial records 37
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 34
  • Scottish rolls of honour, First World War 22
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record Robert Shirra Gibb

    Born 1847 at Yetholm. Served in the First World War. Named in the University of Aberdeen roll of service in the Great War, 1914-1919.

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Helen Gibb

    Died 1919, aged 33; buried at Bannockburn Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record A. Gibb

    Cameron Highlanders. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 93 records for Gibb in the United Kingdom.

Counts: Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

New Zealand72 records

72 records of the Gibb name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 55
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 9
  • Other New Zealand records 8
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Stewart Bernard Gibb

    Died 1948, aged 83; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Alfred Boyd Gibb

    Died 1983, aged 74; buried at Whangamata Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record William James Gibb

    Died 1942, aged 56; buried at Picton Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 72 records for Gibb in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Netherlands24 records

24 records of the Gibb name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 9
  • Dutch population registers 8
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 7
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Abraham Gibb

    Died 1841 in Hellevoetsluis, aged 70; cook.

    Open Archives, Streekarchief Voorne-Putten (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Thomas Gibb

    Married in 1938 in Arnhem; office clerk.

    Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Archibald James Hawtayne Gibb

    Married in 1918 in Amsterdam; office clerk.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 24 records for Gibb in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Germany14 records

14 records of the Gibb name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Albert Gibb

    From Stavenhagen, Kr. Malchin. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 10 November 1914 (Landwehr Infantry Regiment No. 9).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Heinrich Gibb

    From Wetzlar. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 29 April 1915 (Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 222).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Showing 2 of 14 records for Gibb in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).

France1 record

1 record of the Gibb name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record John Michel Gibb

    Born 1930 in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés (Paris); died 1999 in Saint-Raphaël (Var).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Gibb.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Gibb is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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