Contents [hide]

Gash History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Ireland United States Australia New Zealand

Gash History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Early Origins of the Gash family

The surname Gash was first found in Cornwall where they held a family seat. The name, taking many forms, predominated in Cornwall before the Conquest, dating back to 1000 A,D, as Wasso, Wasce, Wazo, Gazo, Gasche, (all pronounced approximately the same) and in the next two centuries they proliferated along the south coast of England into Somerset, Hampshire, Essex, Cambridge and as far north as Lincolnshire.

Wace (fl. 1170), the famous chronicler, was born in Jersey, probably about 1100. His parents' names are unknown; his mother was a daughter of Toustein, Chamberlain to Robert I, Duke of Normandy. He is best known for his poem 'Roman de Rou,' a work, as reconstituted by modern French criticism. [1]

At the time of the taking of the Domesday Book in 1086, a census taken by Duke William of all his taxable estates, the name was represented by Robertus filius Wazonis, a Latin version of the surname. The spelling of Gace is pronounced Wace, just as Guilliam is William.

Early History of the Gash family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gash research. Another 93 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1379, 1627, 1672, 1690, 1691, 1694, 1695, 1738, 1750, 1757 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Gash History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gash Spelling Variations

Cornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly, spelling variations often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of Cornwall and the rest of England. The Cornish spoke a unique Brythonic Celtic language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled Wace, Waison, Wayson, Wasson, Wash, Waze, Waize, Waice, Gaish, Gash, Gason, Gasson, Gaze, Ways, Wasso, Waso, Gace, Gaco, Wass and many more.

Early Notables of the Gash family

Notable amongst the family at this time was Christopher Wase (1627-1690), an English scholar, author, translator, and educator, Architypographus of Oxford University Press. William Wasey (1691-1757), was an English physician, the son of William Wasey, an attorney, who resided at Brunstead in Norfolk. He...
Another 43 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gash Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Gash family to Ireland

Some of the Gash family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 51 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gash migration to the United States +

An examination into the immigration and passenger lists has discovered a number of people bearing the name Gash:

Gash Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Cassandra Gash, who settled in America in 1704
Susanna Gash, who landed in Virginia in 1713 [2]
Valentine Gash, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1743 [2]
Conjuist Gash, who landed in Maryland in 1743 [2]
Godfrey Gash, who arrived in Maryland in 1743 [2]
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Gash Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Ellen Gash, who arrived in New York in 1831
Elizabeth Gash, who settled in New York in 1831

Gash migration to Australia +

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

Gash Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Thomas Gash, aged 27, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1853 aboard the ship "Caucasian" [3]

Gash 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:

Gash Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. H. Gash, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Queen of the Deep" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 14th June 1854 [4]
Mrs. Emily Gash, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Queen of the Deep" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 14th June 1854 [4]
John Gash, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Merrington" in 1867
Ellen Gash, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Countess of Kintore" in 1871
George Gash, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Edwin Fox" in 1875

Citations +

Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
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)
South Australian Register Tuesday 26 April 1853. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Caucasian 1853. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/caucasian1853.shtml
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html