The Gatsby name has descended through the generations from the ancient
Anglo-Saxon culture. Their name comes from having lived in the region of Gaddesby a spot in
Leicestershire. In the
Domesday Book,
[1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8) the name appeared as
Gadesbi from the Old Norse byname
Gaddr which meant "Sting."
Early Origins of the Gatsby family
The surname Gatsby was first found in
Leicestershire at Gaddesby, a parish, in the union of Melton-Mowbray,
hundred of East Goscote. Gaddesby Hall was built on the site of an earlier house, was surrounded by a moat and dated back to 1390. The present hall was rebuilt in 1744 but suffered neglect through World War II. In the 1950s, it was again renovated to its present state.
Early History of the Gatsby family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gatsby research.
Another 119 words (8 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gatsby History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Gatsby Spelling Variations
Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Gatsby has undergone many
spelling variations, including Gadsby, Godsby, Gadsbury, Gadaby, Gatesby, Gatsby and many more.
Early Notables of the Gatsby family (pre 1700)
More information is included under the topic Early Gatsby Notables in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Gatsby family to the New World and Oceana
To escape the unstable social climate in
England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Gatsby were among those contributors:
Gatsby Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
- Edward Gatsby, aged 17, who settled in America from Ballyforan, in 1900
- Robert B. Gatsby, aged 30, who emigrated to the United States, in 1912