Surname Gittens - Meaning and Origin

Gittens: What does the surname Gittens mean?

Gittens is a surname of English or Cornish origin. It is thought to be derived from the personal name Gitte, which is of Germanic origin. The name Gitte is related to the name Gilbert, which is derived from the Old German name Gildbert, meaning "gift" or "pledge".

Gittens is most likely an Anglicized form of the Norman-French surname ''Ghette'', which is derived from the word ''ghiette'', which meant “shod”. It may have been given to a shoe or bootmaker.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, Gittens was a common name in Devon and Cornwall, a region of the south-west of England. Gittens could also be an Anglicized form of the Irish “Geadaigh”, which came from “Mac Giolla Daigh”, meaning “son of the servant of God”.

Gittens is also a name found in Jamaica, where it is of African origin. It is thought to be derived from a translator of the English language to the West African Akan language, commonly found in Ghana.

In all of its forms, the name Gittens carries with it a meaning of either one who makes footwear or one whose ancestors were servants of God.

Gittens: Where does the name Gittens come from?

The last name Gittens is most commonly found in the Caribbean, predominantly on the islands of Barbados and Jamaica. The name’s origin is likely to be French stemming from a 17th-century Huguenot family originating from Angoumois, France.

In the U.K., Gittens is mainly concentrated in the south – in the counties of Surrey, Devon, Wiltshire, and East Sussex. In the U.S., the highest concentrations of the surname can be found in the states of New York, Florida, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and North Carolina. It is also found to a lesser extent in South Carolina, California, Georgia, Wisconsin, and Texas.

The first waves of immigrants from Barbados into the U.S. arrived in the mid-17th century, and many of them have since spread to other areas. This has led to a growth in the number of Gittens families within the U.S. since then, particularly in major metropolitan areas, such as Los Angeles and New York City.

Gittens is also a common last name among the wider Afro-Caribbean diaspora, who have since moved, often for employment opportunities, to other places around the world, particularly Western Europe and the U.S.

Today, the last name Gittens can be found in many countries around the globe, however most commonly throughout the Caribbean, the U.S., U.K., and the rest of Western Europe.

Variations of the surname Gittens

The surname Gittens is primarily derived from the given name Givon, which is a variant of the Biblical Hebrew name Jehoiada, meaning 'Jehovah knows'. This surname is believed to have first emerged in Cornwall and is associated with several variants and spellings, including Gittin, Gittins, Gittons, Gittens, Gyttins, Gyttons and Jittins. Despite being derived from the same origin, the spelling of the surname can vary greatly depending on the period in which it is used, with some bearing a more modernized form and others retaining a more traditional spelling.

In certain versions of the name, it is spelt with an additional ‘e’ as Gittens or Gittens; however, in past generations it was mostly used as Gittins. The family’s origins lie in the county of Cornwall, which is also believed to be where the surname acquired its Orthography. Similarly, variations of the surname may also appear in parts of Devon, as well as Somerset, Devon, Dorset, and Wiltshire.

Furthermore, Gittens is sometimes also used as a nickname or a shortened form of ‘Gittens’, which is derived from the ancient surname of ‘Gifted’, associated with the Cornish family of the same name. Aside from having its origins in the county of Cornwall, Gittens is increasingly found in the United States, Canada, South Africa, and Australia, making it a truly global surname. Despite the various spellings of this surname, the original meaning of the name remains the same.

Famous people with the name Gittens

• Alicia Gittens-Mckenzie: Olympic sprinter from Barbados
• Damion Gittens: Actor, producer, writer in the US
• Averil Gittens: Trinidadian artist and poet
• Crissy Gittens: Singer/songwriter from Ireland
• Rodney Gittens: Professional MMA fighter
• Ruth Gittens: Olympic sprinter from Barbados
• Errol Gittens: Professional cricketer from Barbados
• Maurice Gittens: Football player from St. Kitts and Nevis
• Darrin Gittens: Recording artist from Barbados
• Raeshawn Gittens: Former NFL American football player
• Stephanie Gittens: Professional tennis player from St. Lucia
• Mar section Isaiah Gittens: Member of the National Assembly of Barbados
• Veronica Gittens: Canadian cricketer, representing Canada internationally
• Jahmar Gittens: Jamaican professional football player
• Gregory Gittens: Reggae singer from Barbados
• Tony Gittens: American basketball player
• Ryan Gittens: International football player from Trinidad and Tobago
• Stephen Gittens: Actor and producer from the UK
• Orlando Gittens: Actor from Trinidad and Tobago
• David Gittens: Professional footballer from Barbados
• Akeem Gittens: Basketball player
• Jody Gittens-Smith: Actor, director, and producer in the US

Other surnames

Gitterman