Gamy History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland

Etymology of Gamy

What does the name Gamy mean?

The clans of the Pictish people in ancient Scotland were the ancestors of the first people to use the name Gamy. It was a name for a swift walker or a person noted for the length of his stride. The surname Gamy is derived from the Gaelic word gamag, which means stride.

Early Origins of the Gamy family

The surname Gamy was first found in Turriff, where the family was anciently seated.

Early History of the Gamy family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gamy research. Another 89 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1804 and 1916 are included under the topic Early Gamy History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gamy Spelling Variations

In the Middle ages, spelling and translation were not yet regulated by any general rules. spelling variations in names were common even among members of one family unit. Gamy has appeared Gammie, Gamie, Gammye, Gamye, Gamey, Gammey and others.

Early Notables of the Gamy family

More information is included under the topic Early Gamy Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gamy migration to the United States +

Faced by this persecution and the generally unstable political climate of those days, many Scots chose to leave their homeland for Ireland, Australia, and North America in search of greater opportunity and freedom. The colonies across the Atlantic were the most popular choice, but a passage there was neither cheap nor easily suffered. Passengers arrived sick and poor, but those who made it intact often found land and more tolerant societies in which to live. These brave settlers formed the backbone of the burgeoning nations of Canada and the United States. It is only this century that the ancestors of these families have begun to recover their collective identity through the patriotic highland games and Clan societies that have sprung up throughout North America. Research into early immigration and passenger lists revealed many immigrants bearing the name Gamy:

Gamy Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Morris Gamy, who landed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1765 1

The Gamy 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: Luctor ut ermergam
Motto Translation: I struggle but I shall recover.

Sources +

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)