Show ContentsGundy History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Gundy family

The surname Gundy was first found in Yorkshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. After the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William, Duke of Normandy, having prevailed over King Harold, granted most of Britain to his many victorious Barons. It was not uncommon to find a Baron, or a Bishop, with 60 or more Lordships scattered throughout the country. These he gave to his sons, nephews and other junior lines of his family and they became known as under-tenants. They adopted the Norman system of surnames which identified the under-tenant with his holdings so as to distinguish him from the senior stem of the family. After many rebellious wars between his Barons, Duke William, commissioned a census of all England to determine in 1086, settling once and for all, who held which land. He called the census the Domesday Book, [1] indicating that those holders registered would hold the land until the end of time. Hence, conjecturally, the surname is descended from the tenant of the lands of Gunby held by Gilbert de Tison from the Count of Mortain who was recorded in the Domesday Book census of 1086.

Early History of the Gundy family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gundy research. Another 80 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1268 is included under the topic Early Gundy History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gundy Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Gunby, Gunbie, Goneby, Gonby, Gumby, Gumbie and others.

Early Notables of the Gundy family

More information is included under the topic Early Gundy Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Gundy migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Gundy Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • John Gundy, who arrived in Maryland in 1665 [2]
  • William Gundy, who arrived in Maryland in 1669 [2]
Gundy Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Mrs. Matheus Gundy, who landed in New York, NY in 1710 [2]
Gundy Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • James Gundy, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1844 [2]

New Zealand Gundy 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:

Gundy Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. John Gundy, (b. 1819), aged 44, British farm labourer travelling from London, UK aboard the ship "Brothers Pride" arriving in Lyttelton, South Island, New Zealand on 8th December 1863 [3]
  • Mrs. Sarah Ann Gundy, (b. 1819), aged 44, British settler travelling from London, UK aboard the ship "Brothers Pride" arriving in Lyttelton, South Island, New Zealand on 8th December 1863 [3]
  • Mr. John Gundy, (b. 1842), aged 21, British farm labourer travelling from London, UK aboard the ship "Brothers Pride" arriving in Lyttelton, South Island, New Zealand on 8th December 1863 [3]
  • Miss Elizabeth Gundy, (b. 1844), aged 19, British domestic servant travelling from London, UK aboard the ship "Brothers Pride" arriving in Lyttelton, South Island, New Zealand on 8th December 1863 [3]
  • Miss Sarah Gundy, (b. 1846), aged 17, British settler travelling from London, UK aboard the ship "Brothers Pride" arriving in Lyttelton, South Island, New Zealand on 8th December 1863, she died on 2nd October 1863 [3]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Gundy (post 1700) +

  • Joseph Cale Gundy (b. 1972), American football quarterback
  • B. J. Van Gundy, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Georgia, 2008 [4]
  • James Henry Gundy (1880-1951), Canadian businessman who co-founded Wood Gundy
  • Michael Ray Gundy (b. 1967), Head football coach at Oklahoma State University


  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  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. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  4. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 8) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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