Gore History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  England 
  France 
  Ireland 


The distinguished surname Gore emerged among the industrious people of Flanders, which was an important trading partner and political ally of Britain during the Middle Ages. As a result of the frequent commercial intercourse between the Flemish and English nations, many Flemish migrants settled in Britain. In early times, people were known by only a single name. However, as the population grew and people traveled further afield, it became increasingly necessary to assume an additional name to differentiate between bearers of the same personal name. The manner in which hereditary surnames arose is interesting. Local surnames are derived from where the original bearer lived, was born, or held land. Flemish surnames of this type frequently are prefixed by de la or de le, which mean of the or from the. The Gore family originally lived in Kent. Alternately, the name could have been given to someone who lived by a triangular piece of land and in this case, the surname was originally derived from the Middle English word gara. 1

Early Origins of the Gore family

The surname Gore was first found in Kent where Ralph de la Gore was listed in the Pipe Rolls of 1181. A few years later John de Gore was listed in 1257. Alan atte Gore was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. 2

William de Gora from Wiltshire and William ad le Gorewege from Cambridgeshire were also listed in the same rolls. 3 Kirby's Quest of Somerset listed Simon atte Gore and Adam Gorwege. 4

Early History of the Gore family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gore research. Another 89 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1567, 1587, 1602, 1629, 1631, 1632, 1640, 1650, 1661, 1667, 1681, 1684 and 1697 are included under the topic Early Gore History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gore Spelling Variations

Flemish surnames are characterized by a large number of spelling variations. One reason for this is that medieval English lacked definite spelling rules. The spellings of surnames were also influenced by the official court languages, which were French and Latin. Names were rarely spelled consistently in medieval times. Scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to specific spelling rules, and people often had their names registered in several different forms throughout their lives. One of the greatest reasons for change is the linguistic uniqueness of the Flemish settlers in England, who spoke a language closely related to Dutch. The pronunciation and spelling of Flemish names were often altered to suit the tastes of English-speaking people. In many cases, the first, final, or middle syllables of surnames were eliminated. The name has been spelled Gore, Gorr, Core and others.

Early Notables of the Gore family

Prominent in the family at this time was

Gore Ranking

In the United States, the name Gore is the 1,111st most popular surname with an estimated 27,357 people with that name. 5

Migration of the Gore family to Ireland

Some of the Gore family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 135 words (10 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Gore migration to the United States +

Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Gore were

Gore Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Gore Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Gore Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Gore migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Gore Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Gore migration to Australia +

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

Gore Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Gore 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:

Gore Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Gore (post 1700) +


The Gore Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Sola salus servire Deo
Motto Translation: The only safe course is to serve God.


Suggested Readings for the name Gore +
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