The name Goldsbay, like many surnames, is habitational in origin, meaning that the first bearer of the name took it from the place where he lived. In this case, it comes from the name of a town in Lincolnshire called Goulceby. The name of the town evolved from its original form of Colchesbi over 200 years, between the 11th and 13th centuries. The original name meant "farm of Kolkr," an old Scandinavian personal name.
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Early Origins of the Goldsbay family
The surname Goldsbay was first found in Lincolnshire, where the name first appeared in written records in the early 13th century, such as the Assize Rolls of Lincolnshire, which list Ralph de Golkesbi as having lived there in 1202.
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Early History of the Goldsbay family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Goldsbay research. More information is included under the topic Early Goldsbay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Goldsbay Spelling Variations
Anglo-Norman names are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. When the Normans became the ruling people of England in the 11th century, they introduced a new language into a society where the main languages of Old and later Middle English had no definite spelling rules. These languages were more often spoken than written, so they blended freely with one another. Contributing to this mixing of tongues was the fact that medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, ensuring that a person's name would appear differently in nearly every document in which it was recorded. The name has been spelled Goldsby, Goulceby, Golkesbi and others.
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Early Notables of the Goldsbay family
More information is included under the topic Early Goldsbay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Migration of the Goldsbay family
For many English families, the political and religious disarray that plagued their homeland made the frontiers of the New World an attractive prospect. Thousands migrated, aboard cramped disease-ridden ships. They arrived sick, poor, and hungry, but were welcomed in many cases with far greater opportunity than at home in England. Many of these hardy settlers went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Among early immigrants bearing the name Goldsbay or a variant listed above were: Richard Goldsby, who arrived in Maryland in 1674; as well as many others to follow.
England
