Geddes

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A Scottish family name, borne by notable people such as the town planner and sociologist Patrick Geddes
2. A surname of Scottish origin, carried by several figures in British public life, science and the arts
3. A proper name of Scottish origin used as a family surname by people across Scotland and beyond

Etymology: Geddes is a Scottish surname and the name of several Scottish places, and it is most likely drawn from a common Scots word for the pike, a freshwater fish. Old English and Old Norse both had words for this fish that survive in dialect as "ged," and a place name formed from it would have suited a spot known for its fishing. The exact sense and the route from place to name are uncertain, so this link should be treated as a likely explanation rather than settled fact. Surnames of this kind usually began as a way of saying where a person came from or whose land they held. A family living at or owning a place called Geddes would take that name, and it could then pass down through generations and move away from its original location. That is why the same surname appears in many different families, with no single founder behind all of them.