Ginn Hertfordshire Blog by Michael Taylor

This is an outstanding collection of Ginn biographies written by Dr Michael Taylor. He has been working on his 'One Name Study' of the Ginn name for over 35 years and he has gathered an astonishing amount of information about our ancestors.

Note that throughout this study, Dr Taylor uses the modern, standard spelling of the Ginn name. However historically, especially in the medieval period, spellings have been 'Gyn', 'Gynn', or 'Gynne' and other variants and were pronounced with a soft 'G'.

Introduction

By the late medieval period (1400s) there were broadly three distinct (but likely related from earlier times) Ginn families in Hertfordshire which I have broken down loosely into:-

The Aston Family
The Stevenage Family
The Ware Family

1. The Aston Family

This is the family that has the most (virtually all) of the Ginn family descendants arising from Hertfordshire alive today. The oldest known ancestor of this family is William Ginn, a yeoman farmer (c1450-c1520). ... Chiefly, it is this man's descendants that I have been and still am researching". (Introduction)

The first group of names below are the biographies of our direct ancestors. The second group are people related, in most cases, but not our direct ancestors.

The progenitor of most of the men studied here is William Ginn of Aston (b. 1450, d. 1520). Nearly every man mentioned here is descended from this William.

Recently, I have discovered a record from 1440 that reveals a 'Thomas Gyn of Aston'. Very likely this man is an ancestor of William Ginn. But we can't know this from information currently available. All we know is that he was alive in 1440, before William was born, and he was well enough situated to have a servant. (See note) This may be the same man but this can't be confirmed.

As Dr Taylor states in a recent post about a Simon Ginn of Aston (d. 1603):

"We have seen that Thomas Ginn, yeoman of Aston in the mid 1440s was the first Ginn there. It logically follows that the Aston Ginns that followed are all descended from him."

There is a very interesting connection at where our ancestor, John Ginn of Anstey d. 1694 who married Mary Gill. Mary Gill had a pedigree, that is she came from a gentry family belonging to an estate known as Wyddiall, and her ancestors were most interesting indeed. The important line is the connection back to Sir John Perient. (See below) Altogether fascinating reading.

So far as anyone knows, there is no connection to the Stevenage Family or the Ware Family but being in such close proximity the link may be found through continued research.

Our Ancestors: Direct male line: The Aston Family

A brief synopsis of their role in Ginn family history, please read the full entries for each man. Some notes about various members by Collins, another 'Ginn' researcher, are also included. As far as anybody knows, William Ginn of Aston (b 1450, d 1520) remained in Aston but his son, Henry, moved to Anstey, Hertfordshire and for almost two hundred years our ancestors remained in Anstey up until Thomas (b 1720, d 1779) who was born in Anstey and then moved to Croxton in Cambridgeshire. His son, Joseph moved to Bedfordshire probably for work.

William Ginn of Aston d. 1520 (Generation 16 in Ginn Genealogy Table) (Posted 2012, June)
William Ginn of Aston (b 1450, d 1520) was a Yeoman farmer who owned a farm/tenement called "Garretts" or "Jarretts" in Aston of about 200 acres. He was a peasant, but a prosperous one and is known by me to have had two sons - Thomas (the elder) who died in 1526/7 and Henry who died in 1539. Court cases, manorial records and wills establish Thomas as the elder son of William and the fact that Henry's granddaughter Katherine married Thomas' grandson John established the sibling connection, the grandchildren married by way of tying in to the two branches the blood ownership of "Garretts".
According to Collins, William Ginn, b. 1450, Aston, Yeoman, was a "Very wealthy man. Owned 220 acres around Aston called 'Jaretts'. Probable father was 'Thomas Jenne Snr' referred to in the Stevenage Manorial Roll of 1483". William's life took place at a time of great upheavel in Britain. Major battles such as the Battle of Towton were fought to determine who would reign. The year 1485 roughly marks the end of the Medieval Period.
Henry Ginn of Anstey d. 1539 (Generation 15 in Ginn Genealogy Table) (Posted 2012, June)
Henry was quite a prosperous Yeoman farmer and it is known from Feet of Fines records of 1524 that he acquired land in neighbouring Barkway in that year. In the Lay Subsidy records of that same year he was right at the top of the list of the farmers of Anstey paying the tax.
Henry Ginn (b 1476, d. 1539) married Katherine and moved to Anstey in Hertfordshire where, by means of the survival of three sons - Robert, Thomas and William he established a vast Ginn family, members of whom will be discussed at length in later posts.
The four children of Henry and Katherine were alive in 1539, Robert the heir, Thomas, William and Margery. Sadly I know nothing of what happened to Margery, but all three sons have Ginn or Gynn descendants alive today and all will be the subject of later posts. "Henry was also a Yoeman. He owned land in BARKWAY !!!!!! Where ????? He also owned land in Anstey. Mentioned in the muster roll of 1535 as with 'the harness complete of a Billman' i.e the armour & weapons of a Halberdier. (Collins) (See note about Thomas, below) Henry was alive during the time of the Dissolution of the Monasteries y King Henry VIII when England officially was converted to the Anglican religion..
Nearby at Anstey Church, "Henry Gynne in 1539 made a bequest to St. Stephen's gild in this church". (The Victoria history of the county of Hertford, v4, pg 17)
Robert Ginn of Anstey d. 1587 (Generation 14 in Ginn Genealogy Table) (Posted 2012, June)
Robert Ginn was the eldest surviving son of his father and the heir to "Passmers". Robert married a woman whose name we only know as 'Agnes'.
Robert was a prosperous Yeoman farmer, the gold and silver items mentioned in his will marking him out among the branches of the Ginn family.
Robert Ginn (b 1503, d 1587) leaving a will ( Essex Record Office with his original signature above), the year before the abortive attack of the Spanish Armada - he must have been well into his 80s. Agnes lived on, helping to equip the local militia at the time of the Spanish Armada with the very halberd that Henry Ginn had supplied in 1539, such family weapons often being treasured among yeomen.
Agnes died in 1589, aged nearly 90 on my calculation. She has my undying gratitude as the provider of a huge amount of information on the Ginn family. Her will (Essex Record Office) suggests that she was a formidable woman!
Robert and Agnes had a huge family of which:
Henry - was the heir and will be dealt with in a later post.
"Robert Ginn, b. 1503, Anstey, Herts, d. SEP 1587 Anstey, Herts. Yeoman
He was a very prosperous yeoman. He married in abt 1525-28. He inherited considerable land from his father but then set abt aquiring more. In 1544 he bought freehold property from John Moss and his wife in Clavering, Essex. This property was in Anstey, Barkway and Nuthampstead. In 1562 he was referred to as one of the two 'principal freeholders in Anstey. He and his wife had a maid and two other servants (maybe farm workers). He was frequently chosen to sit on juries at the Quarter sessions and often on the grand jury at the Assizes. Robert and Agnes lived in 'Passmers' in Anstey. This was a large, two storried and multi-roomed farmhouse with many outhouses." (Collins)
"Agnes (d. MAY 1589), Anstey, Herts, burial, 13 MAY 1589, Anstey, Herts.
1 NOTE In her will she left (amongst other things) 12d for the church of 'Anstie' 6s 8d for the poor, 5s 4d each to her servants; Henry Hemings, John Bawcock & Agnes Cook, 6s 8d to Robert King son of James King, £5 to be divided between the 6 children of daughter Katherine Gynne on their wedding days, 12d to her god-children, son Robert bedstead,grene coverlet with byrds ,fetherbed ,mattresseblanket, fflaxen sheets,1 bolster,pillow, £6 13s 4d 10 quarters of barley. Son Henry household stuff inc. a coverlet bought off a women in Barkway and £6 13s 4d. Son Arthur 'a grate cawldron bought off John Galden and my biggest yeldinge fatt' and £6 13s 4d. To all 3 sons all'my rakes,forks and iron stuff.. in anye of my yardes'. to Sarah Collin daughter of my daughter Sarah Collin the beste brasse kettell, one table clothe bought off Ballingers wife and my white bullocke. To Alice King one of my grate kettels bought off Mistress Taylor. to my 4 daughters Dorothy Lyndsell,Elizabeth Cannon,Frances Fordham,widow & Sarah Collin all my household stuff and rings except ready money and gold. Witnesses William Barlee,Thomas Barlee and Henry Gynne." (Collins) Queen Elizabeth I reigned during this time and in 1558 England lost its last French possession at Calais.
Henry Ginn of Anstey d. 1615 (Generation 13 in Ginn Genealogy Table) (Posted 2012, July)
Henry Ginn (b 1527, d 1615) was the eldest son of Robert Ginn of Anstey (b 1503, d 1587). Henry married Margaret Fordham. He has a pivotal role in the establishment of a major branch of the Ginn family of Hertfordshire.
It is apparent that Henry acquired considerable lands in Therfield on and shortly after his marriage. By any measure Henry was a considerable Yeoman. [By Taylor's description, he appears to hold or control about 530 acres, by copyhold, freehold or dowry. Henry, son of Henry inherited most of the Therfield property and other property went to his son, Robert.]
William Ginn of Anstey d. 1635/6 (Generation 12 in Ginn Genealogy Table) (Posted 2012, July)
William (b 1553, d 1635/6) was the eldest son of his father Henry (d. 1615 - see post of 6th July 2012 ) but neither his father nor his grandfather seem to have liked him much and he was therefore largely disinherited. Ironically, he is the only Ginn of his siblings to be known (without doubt) to have Ginn descendants alive today, so his genetic inheritence has triumphed at least! And he has one other claim to fame among the Ginn family as we shall see.
As I say, William was largely disinherited.
William Ginn died in 1636 - he was 83. There is nothing in surviving manorial papers to suggest any copyhold property passing to his sons, though he had at least inherited the ability to live a long life from his Ginn ancestors. Elizabeth predeceased him in 1633 - she was 76. William and Elizabeth (Stringer) had a good number of children.
There is no profile for William Ginn (b 1599, d 1658) who lived in Anstey. (Generation 11). He married Elizabeth Stringer on June 24, 1635 and had three children: Elizabeth (b 1635/36), John (b 1638/39) - our ancestor and Henry (b 1645). He died the same year as Oliver Cromwell. He, and his sons, were alive when King Charles I was executed, more than 130 years before the French saw King Louis XVI executed. He was first cousin to Thomas Ginn, gentleman and Burgess of Huntingdon d. 1637.

John Ginn of Anstey d. 1694 (Generation 10 in Ginn Genealogy Table) (Posted 2012, September)
John Ginn (b 1638, d 1694) was the only surviving son of a Yeoman. Of a Yeoman family that was, in fact, in decline. Yet, in 1661, young John married Mary Gill, a gentlewoman, the daughter of a local Lord of the Manor! This turns out to be a pivotal moment in Ginn history.

"It seems clear that the marriage slightly revived the Ginn fortunes. John Ginn's father had had a one-hearthed cottage, yet John had a three-hearthed farmhouse by 1663. My guess is that that was the Gill's wedding present. They could not have Mary living in a hovel". (Michael Taylor)

Mary Gill's ancestors were an influential lot. Sir John Gill who was the son of Mary's Great-Grandfather's brother was a Member of Parliament. Read about Sir John Gill (c.1567-1651), MP, of Blackford, Som. and the Mews, Westminster. Her Great-Great-Grandmother was Gertrude or Anne Peryent (d c1547), dau/coheir of Sir John Peryent of Digswell who's Great-Great-Grandfather, also named Sir John Peryent, arrived from Brittany with Edward, The Black Prince. (See note). A descendant of Peryent, one Thomas Perient (1592-bef. 1678) was also a Member of Parliament. Mary Gill's mother, Ann Swann, died in her childbirth and her father subsequently remarried to Lucy Bolnest. Read more about Mary Gill's ancestors here and here.

While John Gynn married Mary Gill (who's ancestors were Peryent) in 1662; Thomas Gynn of Aston also most likely knew the Peryents as early as 1440 when both families have employed servants with the same last name, Perot, who hailed from Ireland. (See note) He was alive when the Great Plague of London (1664-1666) and the Great Fire of London (1666) took a great many lives in the city.

There is no profile for Thomas Ginn, born in Anstey in 1682 who married Lydia Mace and died in Wimpole, Cambridgeshire in 1746 (Generation 9 in Ginn Genealogy Table)
"Thomas Ginn, the third son of John of Anstey ... Tom, like both of his brothers was obviously given a little money by his Dad and both had a freehold cottage in Anstey and had the vote there as a consequence".
Thomas Ginn of Croxton, Cambridgeshire d. 1779 (Generation 8 in Ginn Genealogy Table) (Posted 2012, December)
Thomas married Elizabeth Mitchell at Croxton in 1746, the year of his father's, who was also named Thomas, death. Thomas and Elizabeth had a good number of children. He was alive at the start of the Factory Age, the precursor to the Industrial Revolution. James Wolfe defeats Montcalm, in 1759, at the Plains of Abraham and Canada became officially British.
Joseph Ginn of Potton, Bedfordshire d. 1807 (Generation 7 in Ginn Genealogy Table) (Posted 2014, September)
Joseph married Jane Game from Ashwell in Herts, quite some distance from where he was born. This suggests that he was very much on the move looking for work. Jane was born to Richard and Jemima Game (nee Saunders) in 1761 and Joe and Jane married at Ashwell in 1781.
Something induced the couple to move to Potton in Bedfordshire by 1784, the cause most likely being the availability of work, for in 1783, Potton (a successful market town) suffered a great fire "The Great Fire of Potton" which substantially damaged the town. During Joseph's live, Edward Jenner invented the Small Pox vaccine and the Industrial Revolution is now well under way. Not long after, in the 1830s, railways became the dominant form of transport and England changed forever.
Joseph and Jane had a son, named Thomas, who married Mary Surkett in Cardington in 1808. (Generation 6 in Ginn Genealogy Table) Thomas was born in Potton but Mary was born in Gamlingay, Cambridgeshire, a short distance away. Mary appears to be descended from Richard Circute of Cambridgeshire. Dr Taylor has not written a profile of this Thomas.

It is important to note that the location of Anstey, in eastern Hertfordshire, is near to Cambridgeshire and also to Bedfordshire as well as Essex. So, men and their families moving around over time might end up in any of these counties. As time passes transportation and interconnectness between places becomes more possible, the result of which might be movement over a much wider area. The 'Ginn', or 'Gynn' name seems to occur first and most frequently in the 'East of England' and has branched out over time.

Note about Thomas, brother of Henry: Thomas, b ABT 1474, Aston, Herts, d. 1526, Yeoman
It appears that Thomas didn't get on with his son William and to avoid leaving him his property tried to get round the norm, by making his friend George White the trustee of the land, holding it for his son John. On his deathbed (perhaps under pressure) he named William as his heir. This caused massive legal problems and a dispute between William & John. (Johns descendants didn't use the name William for their sons for many generations). A compromise was reached (Possibly broked by Joan, the widow, which left the property to John but he had to pay William compensation of 60s total and agree to see that William always had food. There is a note in the legal document sorting the dispute to the effect that Williams age is unknown. This could be taken to mean that John & William were twins and that the dispute was worsened by the problem of who was born first. (Collins)

General:

Ginn Coat of Arms (Posted 2012, July)
The arms belonged to George Gynn of Stevenage and no relation to William has been found. In 1653, they were claimed by a John Cook, or Cooke, who had married George's widow, Jane. He belonged to an estate in the area of 'Giggleswyke', now Giggleswick, in Yorkshire. At this time, it must have been known there were no other heirs who may have laid claim. The direct descendants of John and Jane may be able to bear the arms of Cook and Gynn, quartered together, if it was so willed by them.

The very prominent signature of 'William Ryley Norroy' is the authorization to grant the arms. He was the 'King of Arms', or heraldic authority under whom the grant was made and it would not exist without his written approval. See: This page published in Fragmenta Genealogica for the grant, or award, to John Cook.
New blog- Ginn: Dunmow, Eynesbury, Over, Swavesey etc (Posted 2020, May)

Complete Alphabetical List: Current as of April 2021 (The blog is being updated from time to time so there will be new postings.)
Many of these men are related to our direct line. (Above names NOT included)

Ginn ancestors

Again, all of these men are descended from William Ginn of Aston (b 1450, d. 1520).

List by locality

Current as of April 2021 (The blog is being updated from time to time so there will be new postings and possibly changes to existing postings.)

The purpose of this list is to show the distribution of Ginn descendants as they moved around, both within England and as emigrants. The vast majority remained in Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Essex. A few went into Bedfordshire, Huntingdon, Lincolnshire, London, Middlesex or emigrated. A couple are found in Cornwall and Devon who are there in military service roles.

Bedfordshire

Joseph Ginn of Wrestlingworth, Bedfordshire d. 1870 (Posted 2015, August) Son of Joseph Ginn of Potton d. 1807, our ancestor.

Cambridgeshire

Arthur Ginn of Ely, Cambridgeshire d. 1640s (Posted 2012, September)
Benjamin Ginn or Ginns of Knapwell, Cambridgeshire and Little Easton, Essex d.1807 (Posted 2013, March)
John Ginn of Ely, Cambridgeshire d. 1900 (Posted 2014, May)
Richard Ginn of Ely, Cambridgeshire d. 1659 (Posted 2012, September)
Richard Ginn of Ely, Cambridgeshire d. 1697 (Posted 2012, September)
Richard Ginn = Elizabeth Clark in Newmarket in Cambridgeshire
There is a very slim chance that he connects to Hertfordshire (Richard and Ben Ginn/Genn of Ely having a haberdashery shop in Newmarket at the time he was born) but more likely he almost certainly connects to the Ginn family of nearby Burrough Green.
>> Richard Ginn b. 1685, Royal coachmaker in London = Ann Kesdart; three children
(https://ginngenealogical.blogspot.com/)
Richard Ginn/Genn of Ely, Cambridgeshire d. 1772 (Posted 2013, February)
Robert Ginn of Ely, Cambridgeshire d. 1605 (Posted 2012, September) Son of Robert Ginn of Wyton, Cambridgeshire d. 1596.
Robert Ginn of Melbourn & Fen Ditton, Cambridgeshire d. 1728 (Posted 2015, January)
Robert Ginn of Wyton, Cambridgeshire d. 1596 (Posted 2012, July (revised page)) Son of Robert Ginn of Anstey, Hertfordshire d. 1587 who is brother of William, our ancestor. First in Cambridgeshire.
Thomas Ginn of Reed & Melbourn, Cambridgeshire d. 1718 (Posted 2015, January)
Thomas Ginn or Gynn of Swavesey in Cambridgeshire, d. 1633 1m = Eleanor, d. 1618; two children
>> William, b. 1612 (died young)
>> Mary, b 1615, married John Charlton at Fen Drayton in 1640
The same Thomas Ginn 2m = Unica Gifford at Swavesey in 1620, d. 1641; three children
>> Unica, b. 1621, married John Crosby (of Oakington) in 1642
>> Joshua, b. 1626; d. 1665
>> William Ginn, b. 1629, Quaker Baker of Cambridge, d. 1707, 1m Margaret d. 1666, eight children; 2m Sarah; 3m Mary Bardolf
>> >> William Ginn, b. 1672, Quaker & Clockmaker of London, d. 1750
>> >> >> Tralucia Ginn (Emigrated to USA)
https://ginngenealogical.blogspot.com/
William Ginn or Gynn of Swavesey in Cambridgeshire, d. 1617; two sons
>> William jnr = Dorothy (remarried; Richard Blunt in 1621); two daughters, d. 1616 and Thomas

Huntingdon

Thomas Ginn, gentleman and Burgess of Huntingdon d. 1637 (Posted 2012, September) He was a son of Robert Ginn of Wyton and Houghton who was the second son of the Robert Ginn of Anstey (d. 1587). This would make him first cousin to William Ginn of Anstey (d. 1636). He almost certainly knew Oliver Cromwell personally but predeceased him by 20 years.

London

Arthur Ginn of St Lukes, London d. 1740 (Posted 2012, October)
Charles Ginn of Islington, London d. unknown (Posted 2014, May)
David Ginn/Gynn of Tottenham and West Ham, London d. 1871 (Posted 2014, November)
Frederick Ginn of Tottenham, London d. 1904 (Posted 2021, February)
George Ginn of Bermondsey, London d. 1700 (Posted 2018, November)
George Ginn of Tottenham, London d. 1878 (Posted 2014, November)
Henry Ginn of "Jack Ketch's Warren" Clerkenwell, London d. 1708 (Posted 2019, November)
Jacob Ginn of Edmonton, London d. 1739 (Posted 2013, January)
Jacob Ginn of Edmonton, London d. 1783 (Posted 2013, March)
John Ginn - Citizen and Grocer of London d. 1660 (Posted 2012, September)
John Ginn or Ginns of Wapping, London d. 1778 (Posted 2015, January)
Newcombe Ginn, Police Constable of London d. 1890 (Posted 2014, February)
Philip Ginn of Enfield, London d. 1726 (Posted 2013, January)
Richard Ginn of Tottenham, London d. 1810 (Posted 2013, March)
Samuel Ginn or Gean, of London, of the Royal Navy and Greenwich d. 1790 (Posted 2020, June)
Thomas Ginn Citizen and Carpenter of London d. 1734 (Posted 2012, November)
Thomas Ginn of Highgate, London d. 1870 (Posted 2013, March)
William Ginn of Walthamstow, London d. 1744 (Posted 2012, October)
William Ginn, Hatter of St Bartholomew the Less, London d. 1724 (Posted 2020, June)
William Ginn, Periwig Maker of London d. 1783 (Posted 2013, January)

Middlesex

Abraham Ginn of Enfield, Middlesex d. 1767 (Posted 2013, January)

Emigrants

Australia

Timothy Ginn of Cobden, Australia d. 1911 (Posted 2012, September)
William Ginn of Canberra, Australia d. 1904 (Posted 2014, May)

Leeward Islands

George Ginn of Nevis in the Leeward Islands d. after 1765 (Posted 2020, June)
George Ginn of Nevis, St Vincent and the Grenadines died 1812 (Posted 2021, August)

South Africa

John Ginn of Cape Town, South Africa d. 1819, descendant of William Ginn of Braughing, Hertfordshire d. 1709 (Posted 2012, October)

USA

Joseph Ginn of Watertown, New York d. 1911 (Posted 2014, October)
Thomas Ginn of Brooklyn, New York d. 1901 (Posted 2014, October)

Genn ancestors

For unknown reasons, name spelling and pronunciation changed from time to time. Sometimes men liked to distance or distinguish themselves from their relatives or ancestors. For the following men, the spelling 'Genn' was adopted, also probably pronounced with a soft 'G'.

Cambridgeshire

Benjamin Genn of Ely, Cambridgeshire and Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk d. 1691 (Posted 2019, November)
Billett Genn of Ely, Cambridgeshire d 1917 (Posted 2021, April)
Billett Genn of Ely, Cambridgeshire d. 1872 (Posted 2014, June)
Charles Genn of Ely, Cambridgeshire d. 1811 (Posted 2019, October)
Nathaniel Genn of Ely and Wisbech, Cambridgeshire - d. after 1692 (Posted 2019, November)
Richard Genn of Ely, Cambridgeshire d. 1812 (Posted 2013, March)
Robert Genn of Ely, Cambridgeshire d. 1833 (Posted 2014, June)
William Genn the elder of Ely, Cambridgeshire, Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire & London d. 1780s ? (Posted 2019, March)

Lancashire

Spencer Genn of Blackburn, Lancashire d. 1917 (Posted 2012, November)

Lincolnshire

Denton Genn Jnr of Quadring, Lincolnshire d. 1861 (Posted 2014, March)
Denton Genn of Quadring, Lincolnshire d. 1851 (Posted 2013, August)
George Genn of Quadring, Lincolnshire, India and Tasmania d. 1854 (Posted 2015, August)

London

Billett King Genn of Cambridge and Wandsworth, London d. 1886 (Posted 2019, October)
William Genn the younger of St Stephen, Coleman, London d. 1830 (Posted 2019, March)

Emigrants

USA

Charles Genn of Sparta, Wisconsin d. 1862 (Posted 2015, September)
John Thomas Genn and the Genns of Oregon (Posted 2021, April)
William Mackinder Genn of Texas & Oklahoma d. 1920 (Posted 2014, March)

A note from Michael about his earliest discovery:

"The first Ginn reference in Hertfordshire I have found dates from 1307 when a certain Richard Gynne or Ginn is referred to in the Poll Tax/Lay Subsidy record of that year - I have seen the original entry at the National Archives".

I sent Michael some information about our own family in Canada and here is the reply I received from him:

Hi Barry
I attach (I have copied it into the Canada attachment) what I know of your grandfather and his immediate family. If you can fill in the blanks that would be great as would the oldest of any photos you may have - I have a bit of a database you see.
Briefly, I started the research in 1989 when I was working as a lawyer in London - I now work in Norwich and my wife and I no longer live in Hertfordshire. I have continued working on the Study as I call it and in 1995 produced a paper version of it. Since then, a great deal more has been discovered. I have a friend, Michael Ginn, who is retired now and is something of a computer geek and he compiled a database of every Ginn who was registered , ie every Ginn born after 1837, and working together we have managed to work out pretty much every Ginn descended from the Hertfordshire family since that date.
We have had a large number of correspondents over the years, some of whom are now friends, and Donna Bailey contacted us in the 1990s and was given a copy of the work we had done as we were quite happy to share everything we knew. Donna then went and put the lot on Ancestry, which would have been fine if she had got it right, but because she had not actually done the research she tended to muddle some stuff up which was a bit annoying! Various other correspondents have loaded bits onto various sites, not always correctly. This was one reason why I started the Blog, although I never get the time to load it up as much as I should.
If you look at the blog you will notice your ancestors John and Mary Ginn of Anstey, parents of the Thomas Ginn who married Lydia Mace and went to Wimpole. Linking Anstey and Wimpole was pretty much my last truly huge discovery in the Study (in about 2003) and although other stuff has turned up since it has been pretty small time. Well, Mary Ginn was born Mary Gill who came from a decaying gentry family and I attach copies of my work on the Gill family (who were very interesting) and their further ancestors the Perient family. You are descended therefore from the Perients also and I hope that you find the enclosed interesting.
I would be interested to know more about what transpired in Canada and will send some further stuff shortly.
Kind regards
Michael
*I included the Canada document only to show what Taylor knows about our family.

A note from Michael re name spelling:
"The Ginn name can be Gynn or Genn or Gynne [or Gyn]. Spellings mean nothing as people often had country accents and the spelling was rended as how it sounded. Most Hertfordshire people pronounce their name as with the drink Gin - certainly that was how it was said in its earliest form - I can tell this from the records".

Here is some information on history of the Village of Anstey.

Overview of Ginn Hertfordshire Blog by Dr Michael Taylor

Introduction

Our Ancestors: Direct male line: The Aston Family

Ginn ancestors

List by locality

Bedfordshire

Cambridgeshire

Cornwall

Devon

Essex

Hertfordshire

Huntingdon

London

Middlesex

Emigrants

Australia

Leeward Islands

South Africa

USA

Genn ancestors

Cambridgeshire

Lancashire

Lincolnshire

London

Emigrants

USA