Goldsby History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Goldsby

What does the name Goldsby mean?

The name Goldsby, like many surnames, is habitational in origin, meaning that the first bearer of the name took it from the place where he lived. In this case, it comes from the name of a town in Lincolnshire called Goulceby. The name of the town evolved from its original form of Colchesbi over 200 years, between the 11th and 13th centuries. The original name meant "farm of Kolkr," an old Scandinavian personal name.

Early Origins of the Goldsby family

The surname Goldsby was first found in Lincolnshire, where the name first appeared in written records in the early 13th century, such as the Assize Rolls of Lincolnshire, which list Ralph de Golkesbi as having lived there in 1202.

Early History of the Goldsby family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Goldsby research. More information is included under the topic Early Goldsby History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Goldsby Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Goldsby, Goulceby, Golkesbi and others.

Early Notables of the Goldsby family

Goldsby of Lincolnshire

Goldsby migration to the United States +

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Goldsby or a variant listed above:

Goldsby Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Richard Goldsby, who arrived in Maryland in 1674

Contemporary Notables of the name Goldsby (post 1700) +

Joseph Goldsby, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Alabama, 1888 1
Helen Goldsby, Miss New York State 1995
Dr. Richard A Goldsby, professor of biology
Crawford "Cherokee Bill" Goldsby, Old West outlaw and gunman

Sources +

The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 7) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html