Hugh de Giffard

Who was Hugh de Giffard?

The first Hugo or Hugh de Giffard was an influential feudal baron in Scotland, and was one of the hostages for the release of King William the Lion in 1174.

It is said that this family came to Britain with William the Conqueror in the person of Walter, Count de Longueville, nephew of Gunnor, Duchess of Normandy, the Conqueror's great-grandmother. However Barrow states the family were dependents of de Varenne and simply came from Longueville-la-Gifart in Seine Maritime. The East Lothian village of Gifford and a nearby stream, Gifford Water, both take their names from this family.

Two of this family appeared in Scotland in the train of Ada de Warenne, daughter of William de Warenne, 2nd Earl of Surrey