1,208 Gilbride members around the world

Gilbride Family History

This unusual surname may be of either early medieval English or Scottish origin, and is an Anglicized form of the Old Gaelic "Mac GiollaBhrighde" (Irish) or "Mac GilleBrighde" (Scottish). The Gaelic prefix "Mac" denotes "son of", with "giolla, gille" literally meaning "servant", but used here in the transferred sense of "devotee", and the saints name Brighde. Traditionally, Irish family names are taken from the heads of tribes or some illustrious warrior, but in some instances, sept names indicate devotion to a articular saint, in this case, Brighde or Brigid, a name believed to mean "exalted".