You hear about that gay Irish couple? Gerald Fitzpatrick and Patrick Fitzgerald.
I just wanted you to know that not only did your joke amuse me, but I have also forwarded it to several friends who I am almost certain will also enjoy it. Your joy is spreading throughout the world.
The prefix Fitz- means “bastard son of,” according to my high school English teacher. So… the joke just got funnier, depending on your sense of humour.
It depended on the time and place. Fitzroy is particularly associated with illegitimate children of the king, but until the 17th century revival of the Fitz prefix, it was mostly just meaning “son of” without any particular inclination towards or against legitimacy. But in the Stuart era it was frequently used for illegitimate children of royalty and nobility.
I think if you’re the son of a gibbon, it doesn’t much matter whether you’re a bastard or not.
Gibbon was actually a pet name form of “Gilbert”.
