Gathorne History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Gathorne

What does the name Gathorne mean?

The Gathorne surname was derived from any of several place names in West Yorkshire. The place names are thought to be derived from the Old Norse word "gaukr," which meant "cuckoo bird." 1

Early Origins of the Gathorne family

The surname Gathorne was first found in the West Riding of Yorkshire at Gawthorpe, also known as Gawthorp, a hamlet in the Kirklees district. Gawthhorpe is also a village to the north of Ossett, in the Wakefield district and an electoral ward in the non-metropolitan district of Burnley in Lancashire. 2 Gawthorpe Hall is an Elizabethan country house on the banks of the River Calder, in the Borough of Burnley, Lancashire.

Sifting though archival materials, we found few early entries for the family. Crystofer Gawthorp was a Freeman of York in 1541 and later, William Gawthropp was listed in Yorkshire in 1672. 3

Early History of the Gathorne family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gathorne research. Another 83 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1455, 1487 and 1730 are included under the topic Early Gathorne History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gathorne Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Gathorne include Gawthorpe, Gaythorpe, Gathorne, Gauthorpe, Gawthrop, Gawthropp, Gawthrup, Gawthrupp, Gawthrope, Gathrope, Gaythorpe, Gathorn, Gorthorp and many more.

Early Notables of the Gathorne family

Another 45 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gathorne Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Gathorne family

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants: Richard Gawthrope, a bonded passenger who arrived in America in 1763.

Contemporary Notables of the name Gathorne (post 1700) +

Gathorne Gathorne-Hardy Cranbrook (1814-1906), English politician

Sources +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)