Surname Giveen - Meaning and Origin

Giveen: What does the surname Giveen mean?

The last name Giveen is of Irish origin. It is derived from the Gaelic word ‘geimhlinn’, meaning ‘cedar tree’. The Giveen surname is associated with County Galway and County Mayo in Ireland. It is also commonly found in Ulster, and can be found in England and Scotland.

The family name has numerous variations as it evolved through time. The various spellings include Giveen, Givens, Givvin, Gyven, and Geevin. It is believed that the name is derived from the Irish personal name ‘Giolan’, which comes from the Gaelic elements ‘giolla’ meaning ‘servant’ and ‘éan’ meaning ‘bird’.

Family members with the Giveen surname settled in the Port Richmond area of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the late nineteenth century. Many of these immigrants found work in the steel mills and factories, and the area became an Irish enclave.

The Giveen surname was also found in early records of New Brunswick, Canada, where Henry Giveen was a founding settler of St. John in 1783.

Today, the Giveen surname can still be found in many parts of Ireland, and in the US and Canada, among descendants of Irish and Scottish immigrants. The surname is recognized as a symbol of the family’s Irish roots and is a reminder of the past and the heritage of those who first bore the name.

Giveen: Where does the name Giveen come from?

The surname Giveen is not very common and its origins are not well documented, making it complex to trace. However, its structure suggests it could be of Irish or English origin, possibly originating as a variant of the names Given or Givens. The name Given is derived from the Old Norse personal name 'Given,' with the patronymic suffix 's' denoting 'son of,' while Givens (with an 's') might be an Ulster variant of 'Magivan,' which was anglicized from the Gaelic 'Mac Dhuibhin,' meaning 'son of Dubhin' (a personal name meaning 'little black one').

Today, the name Giveen appears relatively rare globally. It seems to be somewhat more common in English-speaking countries such as the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Ireland but again is not a widespread or well-recognized surname. This information is based on the limited data that publicly available databases hold. Therefore, it's possible that the Giveen surname could be more prolific in areas or communities not well represented in those sources.

Variations of the surname Giveen

The surname Giveen is of Irish origin and it's less common, which may limit the number of variant spellings. Nevertheless, plausible variants could include Givven, Givin, Given, Gaven, Givan, and Givon. These variations in spelling may be due to different interpretations of phonetic spellings over the centuries, immigration records, regional dialects, or simple clerical errors.

Other spellings, especially from records in Ireland, the United Kingdom, or other English-speaking countries, might include Givean, Giveon, and Givehn. Keep in mind these are theoretical variants.

There may also be patronymic versions of the surname, such as Giveenson or Giveen's.

It can also be likely connected to the surname “Gavin,” given the pronunciation and the existence of patronymic surnames in Irish culture that have evolved over time. Therefore, some variations of Gavin, such as Gavins, Gavinson, or Gavign, could potentially be historically linked to Giveen.

But, it's always important to link variations with historical records, such as census data or immigration records, to provide concrete evidence of these variants of the same surname.

Famous people with the name Giveen

• Ryan Givens: actor who has starred in the curse of chucky, White Chicks, and Tyler Perry's House of Payne.
• Adam Givens: celebrity hairstylist and winner of season 1 of Tabatha's Salon Takeover.
• Donovan Givens: professional boxer and two-time Golden Glove champion.
• Jedidiah Givens: professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers.
• Leonard Givens: professional NASCAR driver and winner of several races.
• Rahsaan Givens: former NFL player and brother of NFL player Ray Lewis.
• Robert Givens: guitarist and founding member of the funk group Slave.
• Robert Givens Jr.: American actor who has starred in the films I Love You, Man and Inglourious Basterds.
• Seth Givens: Community and Entertainment journalist for The Source Magazine.
• Whitney Givens: British actress and daughter of actor Don Givens.
• Chris Giveen: YouTube personality, comedian, and actor.
• George E. Giveen: Canadian politician, lawyer, and author.
• Michael Giveen: Italian writer, director, and artist.
• Rebekah Giveen: American poet and author of two books of poetry.
• Tracey Giveen: English actress who has appeared in various television shows and films.

Other surnames

Giveens