The village of Gifford takes its name from the 13th-century Sir Hugo de Giffard of Yester, whose ancient Scoto-Norman family possessed the baronies of Yester, a name that derives from the Cambro-British word Ystrad (modern Welsh: Vale),[2] Morham, and Duncanlaw in Haddingtonshire, and Tayling and Poldame in the counties of Perthshire and Forfar.

[6] Gifford Town Hall started life as an early 18th century private house which was later extended and then partially rebuilt.

The earliest recorded presence of a church in the area is in 1241, the ruins of which lie in the woods beside Yester House, to the south-west of the village centre.

A bus service, operated by Prentice Coaches, connects the village to Haddington and Pencaitland.

Yester Primary was expanded to accommodate children from the small schools in Bolton, Morham, Garvald and Longyester, which were all closed between 1968 and 1971.

A large park (known as the Bleachfield, from its historic use) lies near the centre of the village, and the East Lothian Core Paths network has been expanded to improve access to the surrounding countryside.