Surname Gimball - Meaning and Origin
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Gimball: What does the surname Gimball mean?
The surname Gimball is an English occupational name derived from an Old French word ‘gambel’ which has its roots in the Latin ‘cambellus’. The name referred to a warrior who used a curved double-edged sword or a short two-handed sword to fight. These swords were called ‘gambels’ and were often carried by foot soldiers. During the Middle Ages, people with this surname were known as Gimbalers.
In times past, this name was often associated with authority, proven by the fact that it was very popular among the senior officers of the British military. It was also associated with land holdings, as there were several English villages one time referred to as Gimballing. Those who owned the lands were given the title of ‘Gimball’.
Examples of the Gimball surname continue today, most often as a result of marriage or family lineages, with notable people in the United Kingdom and United States including Emily Gimball, a prominent fashion designer, actor Michael Gimball, and philanthropist Junior Gimball.
All in all, the Gimball surname has a long history and is associated with a variety of occupations and landholdings. It has also been linked to many prominent people, reminding us of the long-standing tradition of the Gimball name.
Order DNA origin analysisGimball: Where does the name Gimball come from?
The surname Gimball is not common and its origin is not specifically known. Spelling variations may include Gimbal, Gimbald, Gimble, Kimball, Kimbal, and other formations. The surname appears to have potential roots in both English and Germanic languages. It could potentially be derived from the Middle English personal name Kimbel, a variant of the Old English personal name Cynebald, or from the Germanic personal name Kimball, a compound of "cuno" (kin) and "bald" (bold, brave). It might also be an occupational name for someone who operated a gimbal, a pivoted support that allows an object to remain horizontal despite motion. Today, due to globalisation and migration, this surname can be found scattered around the world with no particular region of commonality. However, ancestry databases show people bearing this surname in the USA, Australia, and parts of Europe. Please bear in mind that data on its exact prevalence is limited because of the rarity of the surname.
Variations of the surname Gimball
The surname Gimball can have several variations due to regional differences, phonetic spellings, translation errors, or simply personal preference. Some potential variants for the name Gimball include Gimball, Gimbal, Gimbel, Gimble, and Gimbell.
Moreover, it is also related to the German-Jewish surname Gimbel, brought to the United States particularly during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Spelling changes over time, due to both purposeful adjustment and clerical errors, have also produced names such as Gumbel and Gumball, that may link back to the same origin.
In some cases, the name could also be related to the English name Kimball, with 'K' and 'G' often being interchanged in old records particularly where the original record was hand-written. This name originally referred to people living in or near the village of Kimbolton in England.
Without more specific genealogical information, it can be difficult to say definitively how all these names connect, but these are certainly variants, potential misspellings, and relatives of the surname Gimball.
Famous people with the name Gimball
- Stephen Gimball: Producer, Director and Visual Effects Supervisor.
- Vern Gimball: Running back who played with the NFL's San Francisco 49ers (1985–1988)
- Steve Gimball: Former professional American football quarterback
- John Gimball: Country music artist who placed third on “Nashville Star”
- Craig Gimball: Canadian film director, writer and producer
- Katherine Gimball: Actress, known for The Saul Convention (2009) and The Line (2017)
- David Gimball: American street and graffiti artist
- Patricia Gimball: Film actress, known for The B-Team (2016)
- Allan Gimball: Former professional American football running back in the National Football League
- Richard Gimball: Innovator and entrepreneur, founder of a global LED lighting design firm