Gurney Genealogy Library Updated 30 March 2026 by Allen Gurney WIP / Draft

Thirty-six generations of Gurney ancestry, from the rise of the Vikings to modern America.

This working library developed by amateur genealogist Allen Gurney (contact me) organizes his direct Gurney line across eras, geographies, and supporting research artifacts.

Gen. Name & Dates Geography Summary
Modern America — Midwest, New York & Pacific Northwest
G1 Allen Lawrence Gurney b. 1972 Marion IN → St. Louis MO → Portland, OR
G2 Lester Hayes Gurney 1945–2025 Port Washington NY → Marion IN → Fort Wayne, IN
G3 Lester Sawyer Gurney 1923–(Deceased) New York area
Gilded Age & Civil War — New York
G4 Lester Sawyer Gurney Jr. 1888–1958 New York area
G5 Lester Sawyer Gurney 1856–1899 New York area Son of Brig. Gen. William Gurney. Died young at 43.
G6 Brigadier General William Gurney 1821–1879 Flushing, Queens NY · Manhattan · Charleston SC Wholesale merchant, Civil War colonel, commandant of Charleston 1865.Click for biography
Early Republic — Flushing, Queens, New York
G7 Willis Gurney c. 1796–98 — before 1870 Cummington, MA → Flushing, Queens NY Tailor. First Gurney to leave Massachusetts for New York.
Massachusetts Farming Generations — Cummington & Plymouth County
G8 Amos Gurney 1770 — before 1850 Bridgewater, MA → Cummington, Hampshire Co., MA Farmer. Married Ruth Gilbert 1790. Six children born Cummington.
G9 Benjamin Gurney bpt. 30 May 1730 — d. 28 Sept. 1805 Abington, MA → Cummington, Hampshire Co., MA Farmer. Sold Abington land 1770, moved to Cummington. Buried Dawes Cemetery.
G10 Benjamin Gurney c. 1704 — before 1772 Weymouth, MA → Abington/Whitman, MA → Middleboro → Rochester, MA Farmer. Fathered Benjamin (G9) by Jane Harden. Married Sarah Morse 1731.
G11 Benjamin Gurney c. 1676 — d. 1738/9 Weymouth, MA → Abington, MA → Middleboro, MA Married Rebecca Staples 1701. 'Granny Gurney's Swamp' story. Will proved 1739.
G12 Richard Gurney c. 1630 England — d. Oct. 1691 Weymouth, MA Freeman 1681. Married Rebecca Taylor. Son John killed Mendon massacre 1675.
The Emigrant — Colonial Massachusetts
G13 John Gurney-1 c. 1609-12 England — d. 1662/3 Weymouth, MA → Braintree, MA Tailor. First Gurney in North America. Estate: £55.14.6.Click for Case File
Tudor England — City of London & Norfolk
G14 Francis Gurney 13 Sept. 1581 — d. 9 Jan. 1646/7 West Barsham, Norfolk → Norwich → City of London (St. Benet Fink) Merchant Taylor (admitted 1606). Probable father of John Gurney-1.Click for Case File
G15 Henry de Gournay 21 Jan. 1548 — d. 1623 West Barsham Hall, Norfolk; Great Ellingham, Norfolk 'Last Gurney born Roman Catholic.' 12 children. Tomb at Great Ellingham.
G16 Francis GURNEY 20 Aug. 1521 — d. Jan. 1571 West Barsham Hall, Norfolk Married Elizabeth Helen Holditch 1543. Both died January 1571.
G17 Anthony de Gournay b. 1499 — d. Dec. 1556 West Barsham Hall & Great Ellingham, Norfolk BOLEYN CONNECTION: Second cousin of Queen Anne Boleyn.
G18 William Gurney V fl. c. 1490–1530 Irsted, Norfolk Married Anne Heydon; connected to Boleyn network and Howard Dukes of Norfolk.
Medieval Norfolk Gurneys — West Barsham & Great Ellingham, c. 1300–1499
G19 Edward William Gurney b. c. 1430 — d. 18 Jan. 1508 West Barsham; Burnham Thorpe, Norfolk Son of Thomas Gournay. Married Ann Calthorpe. Died 18 Jan. 1508.
G20 Thomas Gournay II fl. c. 1400–1460 West Barsham, Norfolk Son of Thomas I. Married Margaret Jernegan/Jerningham. Will 1468, proved 1471.
G21 Thomas Gournay I fl. c. 1408–1450 West Barsham; Harpley; Norfolk Nephew of Sir John Gurney (d.1408). Son of Robert. Succeeded to family estates when John's son died under age.
G22 Robert Gournay fl. c. 1370–1420 Norfolk Son of Edmund Gurney (d.1387). Brother of Sir John (d.1408). Married Joan de Norwich.
G23 Edmund Gurney d. 1387 Harpley & Hardingham, Norfolk; Bishop's Lynn (King's Lynn) HISTORY OF PARLIAMENT. Steward of John of Gaunt's East Anglian estates 1372–1387.
Junior Norfolk Branch — Harpley & Hardingham, c. 1140–1387
G24 John de Gournay IV fl. c. 1330–1370 Harpley; West Barsham; Norfolk Mentioned in a deed of his uncle's, 1331. Father of Edmund Gurney (d.1387).
G25 John de Gournay III fl. c. 1300–1353 Harpley, Norfolk Son of William III. Wife Jane de Lexham. Succeeded uncle John (Rector of Harpley) in 1332. Living 27 Edw. III (1353).
G26 Sir William de Gournay III, Knt. fl. c. 1260–1300 Harpley, Norfolk Married Katherine de Baconsthorpe. Sold all estates to brother John, Rector of Harpley, in 1294.
G27 Sir John de Gournay I, Knt. fl. c. 1240–1280 Harpley, Norfolk; Lewes, Sussex; Holy Land Present at battles of Lewes (1264) and Evesham (1265). Accompanied Edward I to Holy Land 1270.
G28 William de Gournay II fl. c. 1210–1250 Harpley, Norfolk Son of Matthew de Gournay. Father of Sir John I. Living 1234 and 1243.
G29 Matthew de Gournay fl. c. 1180–1220 Harpley; Hardingham; Norfolk Married Rose de Burnham c.1183. Acquired Gurney's manor in Harpley through her.
G30 William de Gournay I fl. c. 1150–1180 Runhall; Hardingham; Norfolk; Montigny-sur-Andelle, Normandy Knight. Lord of Runhall and Swathings. Held Montigny-sur-Andelle in Normandy in parage — proof of blood descent from Barons of Gournay.
G31 Walter de Gournay fl. c. 1108–1154 Norfolk; Suffolk JUNCTION POINT. Youngest son of Gerard de Gournay. Ancestor of the entire Norfolk junior branch.
Norman Barons of England — Post-Conquest Settlement, c. 1066–1214
G32 Gerard de Gournay c. 1040 — d. before 1104, Palestine Gournay-en-Bray, Normandy; Caister, Norfolk CRUSADER. Married Edith de Warenne. Joined First Crusade 1096, died Holy Land.
G33 Hugh de Gournay III c. 1020 — d. c. 1093 Gournay-en-Bray, Normandy → Norfolk & Essex, England BATTLE OF HASTINGS 1066. Buried Abbey of Bec, Normandy.
G34 Hugh de Gournay II c. 985 — d. c. 1074 Gournay-en-Bray, Normandy 'The Fortifier.' Fought at Battle of Mortemer 1054.
G35 Renaud de Gournay c. 970 — dates uncertain Gournay-en-Bray, Normandy Held seigneury of Gournay. Charter 989–996 confirms his existence.
G36 Hugh de Gournay I c. 945–950 — dates uncertain Gournay-en-Bray, Normandy Son of Eudes. First lord born in Gournay.
Viking Origin — Gournay-en-Bray, Normandy, c. 912
G~37 Eudes (Odon) de Gournay c. 860 — d. c. 912 Scandinavia → Gournay-en-Bray, Normandy (Seine-Maritime dept., France) ORIGIN OF THE LINE. Viking companion of Rollo. ~37 generations to Allen.
End of Known Record — The Wall of History
G~38+ Unknown Scandinavian ancestors Before c. 860 Scandinavia — Denmark or Norway (unknown) WALL OF KNOWABLE HISTORY. Eudes's Norse ancestry entirely unrecorded.