The name Goulcebay, 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 Goulcebay family
The surname Goulcebay 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 Goulcebay family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Goulcebay research. More information is included under the topic Early Goulcebay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Goulcebay Spelling Variations
Anglo-Norman names tend to be marked by an enormous number of spelling variations. This is largely due to the fact that Old and Middle English lacked any spelling rules when Norman French was introduced in the 11th century. The languages of the English courts at that time were French and Latin. These various languages mixed quite freely in the evolving social milieu. The final element of this mix is that medieval scribes spelled words according to their sounds rather than any definite rules, so a name was often spelled in as many different ways as the number of documents it appeared in. The name was spelled Goldsby, Goulceby, Golkesbi and others.
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Early Notables of the Goulcebay family
More information is included under the topic Early Goulcebay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Migration of the Goulcebay family
Because of the political and religious discontent in England, families began to migrate abroad in enormous numbers. Faced with persecution and starvation at home, the open frontiers and generally less oppressive social environment of the New World seemed tantalizing indeed to many English people. The trip was difficult, and not all made it unscathed, but many of those who did get to Canada and the United States made important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers with Goulcebay name or one of its variants: Richard Goldsby, who arrived in Maryland in 1674; as well as many others to follow.
England
