Gavin Family History

Irish: shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Gábháin or Ó Gáibhín both of which are derived from diminutives of gábhadh ‘want’ or ‘danger’ (the second being the more likely meaning here). Scottish and northern English: from the personal name Gavin Scottish form of English Gawain and French Gauvain.

The name was introduced into English from French versions of the Arthurian romances where this name was borne by one of the knights of the Round Table, brother of Galahad and Mordred and a nephew of Arthur. It has been taken to be an adaptation of the Welsh name Gwalchmei, perhaps ‘hawk of the plain’.

Scottish: shortened form of McGavin which is believed to be an Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Gobhann ‘son of the smith’. Spanish: Castilianized form of Aragonese Gabín, a habitational name from Gabín, a place in Huesca province, Aragon.

French: variant of Galvin or Gauvain, cognates of 2 above. Alternatively, perhaps a nickname related to Old Occitan gavina ‘seagull’. Americanized form of Polish Gawin.