Surname Gwinne - Meaning and Origin
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Gwinne: What does the surname Gwinne mean?
The last name Gwinne is of Old English origin, coming from a hereditary surname meaning “white” or “fair-skinned”. The family name came about as a descriptive nickname for someone with a pale complexion, and is related to other surnames such as Gwyn and Gwen.
The surname Gwinne was one of the earliest recorded last names in England. The first records of the name began to appear in the 13th century when surnames became a recognized way to differentiate people from one another. During this time, the influence of Old English language began to wane and the Norman language of French began to gain traction in England. This cultural shift helped contribute to how the surname was pronounced and spelled.
Throughout the centuries, variations of the last name have emerged, including Gwinn and Gwinnett. In the late 20th century, many bearers of the last name Gwinne, Gwinn, and Gwinnett left England and headed towards nations such as Canada, Australia, and the United States. Members of this family can be found today in most English speaking countries.
Order DNA origin analysisGwinne: Where does the name Gwinne come from?
The last name Gwinne is an uncommon name in modern times, but it is mostly associated with the United States. Historically, however, the name can be found in a number of European countries, including England, Ireland, and Scotland.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Gwinne in England go back to the 12th-century and referring to a family of the same name who lived in the West Midlands at the time. They were noblemen of aristocratic descent who served the monarchy in both civil and military capacities.
In Ireland, the name Gwinne can be found in County Donegal, which has been home to a branch of the Gwinne family since the 17th century. By the 19th century, the Gwinne family had become one of the wealthiest landowners in the area, owning a large estate.
In Scotland, the earliest recorded instance of the name Gwinne dates back to the late 18th century. It is associated with the Lowe family of Derwentwater who were Jacobites. The two families were linked when Margaret Gwinne married John Lowe, a successful lawyer and MP who was persecuted for his Jacobite loyalty.
Today, the name Gwinne is still found in the United States, primarily in the Midwest and Northeastern parts of the country. It is most commonly associated with people of Irish descent or those with Irish ancestry. There are also variant spellings of the name -- Gwinn, Gwynne, and Gwyn -- that are still present in certain areas of the United States.
Variations of the surname Gwinne
The surname Gwinne is derived from two different origins. It could have been derived from the Old Welsh personal name Gwyngen, derived from the element ‘gwyn’ meaning white, or it may be of Anglo-Saxon origin, from a Middle English personal name or nickname Gwinn, which was derived from the Old English pre-7th Century word ‘gwin’ meaning joy or mirth.
Variants of the surname Gwinne are:
Gwinn, Gwinnett, Gwinnette, Gwinette, Gwinnet, Gwyne, Gwyn, Gwynn, Gwynne, Gwyne, Gwyen, Gweyne, Gwyenn, Gweyn, Gwyin, Gwyinne, Gwynne, Gwin, Gwine, Gwyinn, Gwyinne, Gwinn, Gwinnett, Gwinnette, Gwinneth, Gwinyth, Gwine.
Spellings of the surname Gwinne include:
Gwin, Gwine, Gwinn, Gwyne, Gwyn, Gwynn, Gwynne, Gwyin, Gwyinn, Gwyinne, Gwyyn.
Surnames derived from the same root are:
Gwinett, Gwinman, Gwyner, Gwynd, Gwyndon, Gwyndra, Gwyndleton, Gwyneater, Gwynette, Gwynl, Gwynne-Jones, Gwynton.
Famous people with the name Gwinne
- Dennis Gwinne: videographer and director
- Robert Gwinn: lawyer
- Ed Gwinne: former professional American soccer player
- Andrew Gwinne: British author and former cryptographer
- Max Gwinne: author and political pundit
- Karen Gwinne: British entrepreneur
- Joanne Gwinne: British actress, singer and model
- Cyrus Gwinne: American jazz saxophonist
- Earl Gwinne: former NFL American football player
- Dean Gwinne: African-American actor, director and writer