GITTINS
Gittins is a surname of Welsh provenance. The name is a patronymic derivative of the Welsh personal name Gethin, which is interpreted in the Welsh language as meaning “dark‑skinned” or “swarthy”. The patronymic construction indicates that the surname originally identified the descendants of a man named Gethin.
Early documentary evidence of the name can be traced back to the 14th century. The earliest recorded spelling, Eynon Gethin, appears in the Chirkland Records of 1332, during the reign of King Edward the First. By the early 17th century, the form Gittins was already established, as shown by church registers in London where individuals such as George Gittings, who married Joane Austen on 27 January 1609 at Clerkenwell, are recorded.
The surname underwent a number of orthographic variations over the centuries, including Gething, Gittens, Gettings, Gettins, Gitting, Gittings and Gettins. These variants appear in early parish registers in Kent and London, for example: Jaine Gittinges christened at Chevening on 14 March 1617 and David Gettings, infant of Thomas Gettings, christened on 5 August 1649 at Saint Giles, Cripplegate.
The use of the name remains concentrated in the United Kingdom, particularly in Wales and the English Midlands. Nevertheless, overseas migration has spread the surname to a number of other English‑speaking countries, including the United States, Canada, India, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. In every region, however, the name is markedly less common than in its country of origin.
Scholarly examinations of the etymology of Gittins indicate that, alongside the Welsh derivation, some accounts associate the surname with Old Norse personal names such as Guðfinnr, or with Greek and Anglo‑Saxon linguistic roots. These alternative theories mention possible links to Old English words for “wood” and “home”, or to the Greek personal name Gitton meaning “brave”. While such hypotheses exist, the preponderant documentary evidence supports the Welsh patronymic origin from Gethin.
Prominent bearers of the surname include the political figure Enoch Gittins, the actor Kenneth Gittins and the soldier Thomas Gittins. These individuals illustrate the surname’s continued presence in contemporary British society and beyond.
Typical given names associated with the Gittins surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Robert
- Stephen
Female
- Carolyn
- Claire
- Dorothy
- Elizabeth
- Gillian
- Helen
- Jean
- Karen
- Kathryn
- Louise
- Margaret
- Mary
- 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 Gittins in...
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There are approximately 4,047 people named Gittins in the UK. That makes it roughly the 2,313th most common surname in Britain. Around 62 in a million people in Britain are named Gittins.
Origin: Celtic
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: Wales
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Welsh
Famous people named Gittins
- Jeremy Gittins - Actor
- Chris Gittins - Character actor (1902 to 1988)
- Albert Gittins - Cricketer (1897 to 1977)
- Alvin Gittins - American artist (1922 to 1981)
- Steve Gittins - Darts player (1963 to 2013)
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.