The Gothom surname was a habitational name, from Gotham in Nottinghamshire, which was in turn derived from the Old English "gat," or "goat," and "ham," meaning "homestead."

The surname Gothom was first found in Nottinghamshire at Gotham, a village south of Nottingham which dates back to at least the Domesday Book where it was listed as Gatham ^[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) and literally meant "homestead or enclosure where goats are kept," from the Old English "gat" + "ham or hamm." ^[2]CITATION[CLOSE]
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4) The village is most famous for the stories of the "Wise Men of Gotham" in which the villagers feigned imbecility when the royal messengers arrived thereby foiling King John's intent to build a hunting lodge there. One reference claim that he said "we ween there are more fools pass through Gotham than remain in it." However, one of the first listing osf the surname was found years later in Essex in the year 1291 when Stephen de Gotham held estates in that shire.

Early History of the Gothom family

Gothom Spelling Variations

Early Notables of the Gothom family (pre 1700)

Migration of the Gothom family to the New World and Oceana