William Giffard of Yester, 2nd Lord of Yester

Hugh de Giffard's son and heir was William de Giffard of Yester, who was sent on a mission to England in 1200 and who also witnessed several charters of William, 'The Lion'. In 1244 he was one of the guarantees of a treaty with England,[4] when he must have been a good age.

William Giffard begins to appear in preserved records by 1190, and he is found to be stated in three charters as the son and heir of Hugh Giffard. The apparent earliest of these is one of Hugh Giffard and his son William concerning the grant of Cressewelle to Neubotle Abbey circa 1190. Shortly after this date he appears as a witness to and recipient of numerous charters which confirm that he has succeeded his father as lord of Yester by the mid 1190's. As another early example, William Giffard appears as a witness to a charter of Lindores Abbey dated between 1191-1194 as a co-witness with King William the Lion. From these facts it must be concluded that he had come of age by 1190 or before, making his probable birth period circa 1165. As some sources estimate his birth year as circa 1192, it is important to establish his correct period of birth and age in following the chronology of succeeding Giffard generations.

The wife of William Giffard is unknown, as she has not been discovered in any documents to date. The time of his marriage would likely have been circa 1190. In a later Yester writ of 1250 concerning Sir Hugh Giffard, it is stated that his ancestor William Giffard gave the land of Balbohelyn in Tealing to an ancestor of the Tyndale family. Why this gift was made, or if it had any connection to his wife is not known. The further import of this document, which states that Willliam Giffard was the ancestor (not father) of Hugh Giffard II, will be discussed in the next generational chapter.

Children of William Giffard:

1. John Giffard, born circa 1190, eldest son and heir discussed in the next generational chapter.

2. Jonet Giffard, who married Adam de Seton. As discussed in the previous chapter, she is more likely the daughter of William Giffard than his father Hugh.

3. William Giffard ? A possiblity exists that a second son named William may account for some information found in the 1240's. However, it is more likely that this individual could be a grandson.

In summary, we suggest that John Giffard I was the father of the well-known Sir Hugh Giffard II,"the wizard", and that William Giffard the earlier 2nd baron was in actuality the father of John Giffard I, and thus the grandfather of Sir Hugh who becomes lord between 1245 and 1250.

Links

• http://community-2.webtv.net/NUbrubun55/GIFFARDOFYESTER/
• Wikipedia entry - Hugh de Giffard

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Eldest son and heir. This William Gifford was sent on a mission to England in 1200, and also witnessed several charters of King William 'The Lion'. In 1244 he was one of the guarantors of a treaty with England.[1]

This William is clearly identified in Calendar of Writs preserved at Yester House transcribed and edited by Charles C. H. Harvey, Scottish Record Society, Edinburgh, 1916. pps:3-5.

3. Jonet Giffard(?). Jonet Giffard of Yester married Adam de Seton, and she is said to have been a daughter of Hugh Giffard I. We believe dating of this couple and their children suggests that Hugh Giffard was more likely to have been her grand-father, and that she was probably the daughter of his son William Giffard.

The direct lines o the Giffards of Yester began in the mid 12th century Lothian region of Scotland, and came to an end with the heiresses of the 14th century. Their blood descendants continued through the Hays, Maxwells, Boyds, and other prominent Scottish families, which has resulted in the present-day genealogical interest in these medieval Giffard and Morham ancestors.

Notes

1. Hugh Giffard, the first lord of Yester, appeared in Scotland by the mid 1150's along with his brothers William and Walter Giffard. The Giffards certainly evidenced a close connection with the retinue of Ada de Warrene, Countess of Huntington. Ada was the widowed mother of King Malcolm IV, King Wiiliam I, and David, Earl of Huntington. Hugh Giffard had a close association with each of these figures, and possessed a social status which made him one of the most favored of the Anglo-Normans in the royal court of Scotland in the mid 12th century.

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• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Giffard-62
• http://community-2.webtv.net/NUbrubun55/GIFFARDOFYESTER/index.html