Recorded in several spelling forms including: MacGibbon, McGibbon, MacKibbon, McKibbon and McKibbin, and sometimes as Gibbon, Gibben and Gibbin, without the prefix Mac or Mc at all, this is a Scottish surname of ancient origins. It derives from the Norman-French name 'Gilbert' itself of Germanic or Anglo-Saxon pre 7th century origins, and it may have been the name of a Norman knight granted lands by the kings of Scotland in the 12th century. What is certain is that Gilbert or Gilbertus in the Latinized spelling, was one of the names introduced firstly into England at the Norman Invasion of 1066, and later into Scotland. In Scotland it was popularised as 'Gibson', from the pet names Gib or Gibb, these being short forms of Gilbert, and as such they developed in the medieval period, during the first era of surname development in Scotland. The first known recording in Scotland as a surname may be that of Donald McGibsone of Ballemuling, Tiree, in 1455, whilst another Donald, one Donald M'Gybbon was sherrif to Duncan, Lord of Inneryn, in 1511. Thomas Makgibbon, and possibly the first of the McKibbon derivatives, was a minister at Monydie in 1574. Robert Finlay McGibbon was fined in 1613 for aiding and abetting the outlawed Clan MacGregor, and was lucky not to have received a more permanent capital punishment.

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