GETTINGS
Gettings is a surname of English origin, first recorded in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. Its earliest documented mention appears in the Yorkshire Rolls of 1296, and subsequent medieval records identify individuals such as Sampson Gettings in 1327 and William Gettings of Essex in 1337.
The etymology of the name is attested as deriving from the Middle English word geten, meaning “to get” or “to obtain.” The surname was therefore a nickname or occupational label applied to merchants, traders, or others skilled in the acquisition of goods or resources. As a result, the name became hereditary, passing through generations in its modern form.
A second proposed derivation, also recorded in the early modern period, links the name to Welsh origins. In this tradition the surname evolved from a nickname such as Gutynused, itself a diminutive of the personal name Gruddydd or Griffith, meaning “strong grip.” The suffix udd denotes lord, giving the literal sense “lord with a strong grip.” Welsh surnames were formalised later than their English counterparts, some reaching a fixed form only in the eighteenth century, yet early parish records from Greater London already show the name in use by 1609.
Other variants of the surname, each spelling reflecting regional pronunciation or clerical transcription, include Gettin, Getting, Gettins, Getten, Gettens, Gittin, Gittins, Gitten, Gittens, Geddins, Giddings, and Giddens. The catalogue of variations reflects the name’s migration across counties such as Lancashire, Cheshire, Wiltshire, Devon, and Somerset.
In the Anglo‑Saxon tradition the name may be linked to the Old English word gethung, a term for shelter or refuge. This derivation suggests an early nickname “one who provides shelter.” A notable bearer of the surname in medieval England was a resident of the village of Sandal Magna, whose descendants later migrated to Pennsylvania in the early eighteenth century.
The surname also appears in variants that incorporate locative or patronymic suffixes, for example Gettingson, Gettingsworth, and Gettingswood. These former forms signal a connection between the family name and a particular place or lineage, a practice common in English surname development.
Although the name originates in England, its modern-day distribution is markedly international. Statistically, Gettings is most prevalent in the United States, where census data estimate roughly twenty‑two thousand individuals bearing the name. The majority of these Americans are of English descent, though there is a minority of Irish ancestry reflected in the surname’s presence.
Beyond the United States, the surname can be found in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and several European countries including Germany and France, though in comparatively smaller numbers. In each jurisdiction the name retains its medieval spelling in official documents, a testament to its longevity and stability.
Derived from a variety of linguistic sources—including Middle English, Welsh, Anglo‑Saxon, and even the Old French personal name Giselbert, which itself comprises the elements gisil (hostage) and berht (bright)—the surname Gettings exemplifies the complex interplay of language, occupation, and geography that underpins many English family names. The persistent use of the name across nine centuries attests to the enduring heritage of those who bear it.
Typical given names associated with the Gettings surname
Male
- Alan
- Andrew
- Christopher
- Dale
- George
- James
- John
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Robert
- Simon
- Stephen
Female
- Christine
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Helen
- Jacqueline
- Jane
- Joanne
- Linda
- Lisa
- Margaret
- Samantha
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Gettings in...
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There are approximately 675 people named Gettings in the UK. That makes it roughly the 9,962nd most common surname in Britain. Around ten in a million people in Britain are named Gettings.
Surname type: From name of parent
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
