GILBERT
The surname Gilbert is of Germanic provenance and is recorded throughout the British Isles, particularly in England. Its etymology derives from the personal name Giselbert, a compound of the elements gisil (“pledge”, “hostage”, or “noble youth”) and berht (“bright” or “famous”). Consequently, the name may be interpreted as “bright pledge” or “famous hostage”.
Although the surname appears in England in the Norman‑French period, its roots extend to pre‑7th‑century Germanic forms such as Gislebert, Guilbert or Gilebert. The earliest documentary evidence occurs in the Domesday Book of 1086, where the given name is rendered in the Latinised form Gislebertus. The first clearly identifiable surname instance is Willelmus Gilberti, recorded in the Curia Regis rolls of Wiltshire in 1202 during the reign of King John.
By the early thirteenth century the patronymic forms Gilbert and Gilbertson were established as hereditary surnames. Their diffusion across the British Isles was facilitated by the popularity of the given name, notably after the canonisation of St Gilbert of Sempringham (1086–1189), founder of the sole native English monastic order. Parish registers from Greater London provide further illustration: Anna Gylberte was christened on 20 June 1548 at St Michael’s Cornhill, and Anne, daughter of Harry Gilbert, on 21 December 1558 at St Matthew’s, Friday Street.
The surname is traditionally associated with the Christian faith and the English language, reflecting its long‑standing presence in England and the wider Archipelago. Its bearers have been documented in emigration records, for example Henry Gilbert, a "famine" emigrant who departed London aboard the ship Northumberland for New York on 9 April 1846.
Typical given names associated with the Gilbert surname
Male
- Andrew
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Richard
- Stephen
Female
- Christine
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Helen
- Jane
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Gilbertson
- Gibbon
- Gipp
- Gipson
- Gibbens
- Gibbings
- Gibbard
- Gibbons
- Gibson
- Gibbson
- Gibbes
- Gibby
- Gibb
- Gibbs
- Gilbar
- Gelbert
- Jilbert
- Gilbard
- Gilbart
- Gilabert
- Gibault
- Glibert
- Gilber
- Gilberti
- Gilberto
- Gilbeart
- Gilberd
- Gilberg
- Gilbern
- Gilberry
- Gilbers
- Gilberson
- Gilberton
- Gilberts
- Gilbertt
- Gilbery
- Gilbirt
- Gilborn
- Gilbrt
- Gilburd
- Gilburn
- Gilburt
- Gilbury
- Gilert
- Giliberti
- Giliberto
- Gillbar
- Gillbard
- Gillberg
- Gillberry
- Gillbert
- Gillibert
- Gilvert
- Gilberston
- Gilberthorp
- Gilberthorpe
- Gilbo
- Gilborne
- Gilbreth
- Gillborn
- Guilbault
- Guilbert
- Gulbert
- Gilbreath
- Gilbride
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Gilbert in...
Braille
⠛⠊⠇⠃⠑⠗⠞
Morse
--....-..-.....-.-
Semaphore
Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Gilbert are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Dark Choco Leibniz.
There are approximately 33,017 people named Gilbert in the UK. That makes it the 236th most common surname in Britain. Around 507 in a million people in Britain are named Gilbert.
Surname type: From given name or forename
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Gilbert
- Rhod Gilbert - Welsh comedian
- Melissa Gilbert - Actress and director
- Sara Gilbert - American actress
- Gillian Gilbert - Musician, keyboardist, guitarist and singer
- David Gilbert - American activist
- Lewis Gilbert - Film director, producer and screenwriter (1920 to 2018)
- David Gilbert - Snooker player
- Marcus Gilbert - Actor
- Brantley Gilbert - American country music singer
- Humphrey Gilbert - Explorer, politician and soldier (1539 to 1583)
- Simon Gilbert - Drummer
- Michael Gilbert - Author (1912 to 2006)
- Steve Gilbert - Politician
- Michael John Gilbert - Professional wrestler
- Bruce Gilbert - Musician
- Kerrea Gilbert - Football player
- Margaret Gilbert - Philosopher
- Alfred Gilbert - Artist (1854 to 1934)
- James Gilbert - TV Producer (1923 to 2016)
- Stuart Gilbert - Literary scholar and translator (1883 to 1969)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.