Gattan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Gattan is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. It is a name for a watchman. The watchman was responsible for keeping guard over the gates of a castle or manor. However, another source claims the name was for "one who came from Gatton (enclosure where goats were kept), in Surrey." 1

Early Origins of the Gattan family

The surname Gattan was first found in Kent where they were granted extensive estates in that shire. Some of the first on record for this name include: Hemfrid de Gatton (born: 1094, died: unknown), Hamo de Gatton (1125-1165), Robert de Gatton (1147-1190) and Hamo de Gatton (1170-1216). Hamon de Gatton was granted lands in Throwly in Kent about the 12th century.

Much of the family remained in the Kent area as the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list Hamo de Gattane as holding lands there at that time. 2

Not all remained in Kent as Thomas de Gatton was listed in Suffolk in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1219 and Mabilia de Gatton was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Bedfordshire in the same year. 3

The Testa de Nevill, sive Liber Feodorum which was recorded temp. Henry III-Edward I, listed Robert de Gatton in Sussex and John de Gatton in Nottinghamshire. 4 The scattered migration continued as by 1379, the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls listed Alicia de Gatton as a landholder. 2

Gatton is a parish, formerly a borough, in the union, and Second division of the hundred of Reigate, E. division of Surrey. "This was once a considerable town, and had a castle. It sent two members to parliament from the 29th of Henry VI. to the second of William IV., when it was disfranchised; the right of election was vested in the freeholders and inhabitants paying scot and lot, and the constable for the manor was returning officer." 5 Other sources note that Robert de Gatton, took his name from the lordship of Gatton temp. Henry III.

Early History of the Gattan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gattan research. Another 165 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1501 and 1669 are included under the topic Early Gattan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gattan Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. When the Normans became the ruling people of England in the 11th century, they introduced a new language into a society where the main languages of Old and later Middle English had no definite spelling rules. These languages were more often spoken than written, so they blended freely with one another. Contributing to this mixing of tongues was the fact that medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, ensuring that a person's name would appear differently in nearly every document in which it was recorded. The name has been spelled Gatton, Gatens, Gattan, Gattyn, Gattynd and others.

Early Notables of the Gattan family

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

Migration of the Gattan family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that plagued their homeland made the frontiers of the New World an attractive prospect. Thousands migrated, aboard cramped disease-ridden ships. They arrived sick, poor, and hungry, but were welcomed in many cases with far greater opportunity than at home in England. Many of these hardy settlers went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Among early immigrants bearing the name Gattan or a variant listed above were: George Gaton settled in Virginia in 1638; Thomas Gatens arrived in Philadelphia in 1840; Patrick Gatans arrived in Philadelphia in 1858; William Gattens settled in Maryland in 1774..

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Testa de Nevill or "Liber Feodorum" or "Book of Fees," thought to have been written by Ralph de Nevill, for King John (1199–1216)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.