Show ContentsGoldie History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

A family of Strathclyde-Briton were the first to use the name Goldie. They lived in Edinburghshire, where the family was found since the early Middle Ages. Goldie is an ancient Scottish name that evolved from the Goldie, which derives from the Old English personal name Gold.

Early Origins of the Goldie family

The surname Goldie was first found in Edinburghshire, where the name appears from about 1598 onwards and later in the forms Gowdie, Gaudie, Goddie. "Robert Gowdie was a writer in Edinburgh, 1643 and John Gawdie was one of 'those who ere matriculat in the Companie of Merchands of Edinbergh,' 1687. William Goudie in Ayr, 1689. The surname was early carried to the north appearing in Shetland first in 1576 in the person of Gawane Gadie of Lougasettar, Dunrossness." 1

Early History of the Goldie family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Goldie research. Another 126 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1567, 1576, 1643, 1689, 1783 and 1847 are included under the topic Early Goldie History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Goldie Spelling Variations

In the era before dictionaries, there were no rules governing the spelling or translation of names or any other words. Consequently, there are an enormous number of spelling variations in Medieval Scottish names. Goldie has appeared as Goudie, Gouday, Goudey, Goudy, Gowdy, Gowdie, Gadie, Goodie, Gady and many more.

Early Notables of the Goldie family

Another 33 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Goldie Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Goldie family to Ireland

Some of the Goldie family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 32 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Goldie migration to the United States +

The freedom, opportunity, and land of the North American colonies beckoned. There, Scots found a place where they were generally free from persecution and where they could go on to become important players in the birth of new nations. Some fought in the American War of Independence, while others went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. The ancestors of all of these Scottish settlers have been able to recover their lost national heritage in the last century through highland games and Clan societies in North America. Among them:

Goldie Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • William Goldie, who arrived in Maryland in 1671 2
Goldie Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • George Goldie, who arrived in Virginia in 1766 2
  • Catherine Goldie, who landed in Virginia in 1785 2
Goldie Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Richard Goldie, who landed in Iowa in 1876 2

Australia Goldie migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Goldie Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • David Goldie, a cartwright, who arrived in Van Diemen’s Land (now Tasmania) sometime between 1825 and 1832
  • Miss Elizabeth Goldie, Scottish Convict who was convicted in Edinburgh, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Atwick" on 28 September 1837, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 3
  • Mr. Philip Goldie, (Goldie, Felix, Goldin, McCarter, William), Scottish convict who was convicted in Jedburgh, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Bangalore" on 28th March 1848, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) from Bermuda 4
  • Catherine Goldie, aged 18, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "John Bunyan" 5

New Zealand Goldie migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Goldie Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • John Goldie, aged 21, a square wright, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Martha Ridgeway" in 1840
  • Barbara Goldie, aged 21, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Martha Ridgeway" in 1840
  • Mr. John Goldie, (b. 1819), aged 21, British square wright travelling from England aboard the ship "Martha Ridgway" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 14th November 1840 6
  • Mrs. Barbara Goldie, (b. 1819), aged 21, British settler travelling from England aboard the ship "Martha Ridgway" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 14th November 1840 6
  • John Goldie, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1843
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Goldie (post 1700) +

  • Daniel "Dan" C. Goldie (b. 1963), American former tennis player, ranked no. 27, April 17, 1989
  • Malcolm Goldie (b. 1893), Scottish-American soccer
  • John Goldie (1717-1809), Scottish essayist, born at Craigmill, in the parish of Galston, Ayr, on the premises where his forefathers had been millers for nearly four hundred years 7
  • Sir George Dashwood Taubman Goldie (1846-1925), Manx colonial administrator of Nigeria
  • Charles Frederick Goldie OBE (1870-1947), New Zealand painter, best known for his portrayal of Maori dignitaries
  • John Haviland Dashwood Goldie (1849-1896), English rower, and barrister
  • Grace Wyndham Goldie (1900-1986), née Grace Murrell Nisbet, Scottish producer and executive in British television for twenty years
  • David Goldie (1946-2002), British priest in the Church of England, Archdeacon of Buckingham (1998-2002)
  • David Goldie (1842-1926), Tasmanian-born, New Zealand politician, Mayor of Auckland City from 1898 to 1901 and a Member of Parliament in New Zealand
  • Annabel MacNicoll Goldie DL (b. 1950), Baroness Goldie, a British politician, Leader of the Scottish Conservatives between 2005 and 2011
  • ... (Another 11 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


The Goldie Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Honestas
Motto Translation: Honesty.


  1. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  2. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  3. Convict Records of Australia. Retreived 23rd August 2020 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atwick
  4. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 15th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bangalore
  5. South Australian Register Wednesday 24th May 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) John Bunyan 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/johnbunyan1854.shtml
  6. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  7. Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 30 June 2020


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