Show ContentsGassaway History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The roots of the distinguished German surname Gassaway lie in the region of Bavaria. The name is derived from the German word "Gasse," meaning "street, alley," and denotes someone who lives either on the main road of the village or in an alley.

Early Origins of the Gassaway family

The surname Gassaway was first found in Bavaria, where the name was anciently associated with the tribal conflicts of the area. They declared allegiances to many nobles and princes of early history, lending their influence in struggles for power and status within the region. They branched into many houses, and their contributions were sought by many leaders in their search for power. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Arnold in der gassen, who was a citizen of Ober-Alpfen in 1266.

Early History of the Gassaway family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gassaway research. Another 123 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1516, 1565, 1569, 1623, 1691, 1730, 1761, 1788, 1825, 1838 and 1866 are included under the topic Early Gassaway History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gassaway Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Gasser, Gassier, Gässler, Gassner, Gassur, Gaster, Gesser, Gesner, Gauser, Gausser, Casser, Kasser, Kausser, Kauser, Gassaway, Gasse, Gass, Gess, Gässer, Gässner and many more.

Early Notables of the Gassaway family

Another 44 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gassaway Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gassaway Ranking

In the United States, the name Gassaway is the 9,334th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1


United States Gassaway migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Gassaway Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Nicholas Gassaway, who landed in Maryland in 1649 2
Gassaway Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • W. Gassaway, aged 15, who landed in America, in 1893
Gassaway Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Leslie Davis Gassaway, aged 25, who landed in America, in 1912
  • Thomas Gassaway, aged 24, who immigrated to America, in 1912

Contemporary Notables of the name Gassaway (post 1700) +

  • Brian Gassaway (1972-2021), American mixed martial artist who last competed in the Welterweight division
  • Frank Harrison Gassaway, American humorist and poet who often wrote under the pseudonym Derrick Dodd
  • Charlie Gassaway (1918-1992), American Major League Baseball pitcher
  • Percy Lee Gassaway (1885-1937), American Congressman from Oklahoma
  • Nicholas Gassaway (1634-1691), English-born, early American Colonel of the Provincial Maryland Forces
  • Henry Gassaway Shores (b. 1890), American Democratic Party politician, Member of West Virginia State House of Delegates from Mineral County, 1936-38; Appointed 1936; Defeated, 1940; Candidate for Circuit Judge in West Virginia for the 21st Judicial Circuit, 1960


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  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)


Houseofnames.com on Facebook