Show ContentsGaskill History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Gaskill family

The surname Gaskill was first found in Westmorland, at Gaisgill, a "hamlet two miles from Tebay." [1] The village name literally meant " wild-goose valley." [2] Today the hamlet is amalgamated with Tebay in Cumbria.

"The hamlet of Gaisgill being on the Yorkshire border, it is easy to see why the surname is found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax for West Riding of Yorkshire in 1379:" Alicia de Gasegill; Agnes de Gasegyll; Johannes Gaysegill; Robertus Gaysegill; Katerina de Gaseggyl; and Jacobus de Gasegill, of 'Rymyngton' all held lands there at that time.

In Scotland, where the name is now more popular, one of the first records was that of Thomas Gaskel, who was one of the witnesses in a dispute concerning lands of Monachkeneran in 1233. [3]

One noted source postulated the family originated in Normandy, France and emigrated to northern England and southern Scotland shortly after the Conquest as he believes the family originated in Gascuil, Vascoeuil, or Wascuil, near Andelys, Normandy. Gilbert de Wascuil occurs there 1180-1195 according to the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae. [4]

Two sources claim the name was originally Gaelic from Gaisgeil, meaning valorous. [5] [6]

Early History of the Gaskill family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gaskill research. Another 85 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1332, 1560, 1742, 1805, 1810, 1819, 1824, 1825, 1865, 1872 and 1884 are included under the topic Early Gaskill History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gaskill Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Gaskell, Gaskill, Gaitskill, Gaitskell and others.

Early Notables of the Gaskill family

Notable amongst the family at this time was Samuel Gaskell, a tanner at Newton Stewart in 1742.William Gaskell (1805-1884), Unitarian minister, eldest son of William Gaskell (d. 15 March 1819), sail-canvas manufacturer, was born at Latchford, near Warrington, on 24 July 1805. Of an old nonconformist family, he was early destined for the ministry. After studying at Glasgow, where he graduated M.A. in 1824, he was admitted in 1825 to Manchester College, York, being nominated by Thomas Belsham as a divinity student on the Hackney fund. Gaskell died at his residence, Plymouth Grove, Manchester, on 11 June 1884; he was buried...
Another 123 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gaskill Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gaskill Ranking

In the United States, the name Gaskill is the 6,082nd most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. [7]


United States Gaskill migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Gaskill Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • William, I Gaskill, who landed in Maryland in 1658 [8]
  • William, II Gaskill, who arrived in Maryland in 1658 [8]
Gaskill Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Elinor Gaskill, who settled in Pennsylvania in 1772
Gaskill Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • John Gaskill, who settled in Pennsylvania in 1840
  • D W Gaskill, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1860 [8]
  • Ellis Gaskill, who settled in Pennsylvania in 1878

Australia Gaskill migration to Australia +

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

Gaskill Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Henry Gaskill, aged 26, a smith, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Bucephalus"

Contemporary Notables of the name Gaskill (post 1700) +

  • Brian Richard Gaskill (b. 1970), American Daytime Emmy Award nominated actor from Honolulu, Hawaii
  • Mary Gaskill (b. 1941), American politician, Member of the Iowa House of Representatives (2003-)
  • Jerry Gaskill (b. 1957), American rock musician
  • William "Bill" Gaskill (1930-2016), British theatre director, founding director of the National Theatre, artistic director of the Royal Court Theatre between 1965 and 1972
  • E Thurman Gaskill (b. 1935), American politician and grain farmer, Iowa State Senator (1997-2009)


The Gaskill 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: Spe
Motto Translation: By hope.


  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  3. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  4. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  5. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  6. Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
  7. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  8. 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)


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