GOSSAGE
Gossage is an English surname that originated in the British Isles, specifically within the country of England. The name is traditionally associated with the Christian population and is spoken in the English language.
The earliest known derivation of Gossage comes from the Middle English word gos or gos(s), meaning “goose.” The suffix -age denotes a collection or group. Consequently, the name was originally applied as a descriptive nickname or occupational surname to a person who kept geese or who lived near a place where geese were kept.
In addition to the goose‑based etymology, the surname is also recorded in several variants – Gorstidge, Gorstige, Gorstice, Gorstage, Gossage, Gorsuch – and is classed as a locational name originating from the hamlet of Gorsuch in the parish of Ormskirk, Lancashire. Canon Charles Bardsley, in his 1880 dictionary of English surnames, explains that the many spellings are natural and that the intrusive letter t is found in other Lancashire names such as Gorse and Gorst, which are the same name. He suggests that Gorsuch means “the gorse covered ridge.” As with many locational surnames, it was initially borne by the local lord of the manor and his descendants, and was later adopted by inhabitants who left the village to settle elsewhere.
Early documents provide concrete evidence of the surname in the last quarter of the sixteenth century. A record of Henry Gorsage of Kirkdale, Lancashire, dates to 1579. A deed of a Gentleman named James Gorsuch, residing in Gorsuch, is preserved in the Wills Register at Chester, 1615. By the late seventeenth century, Henry Gorstich of West Derby, Liverpool, is documented in 1669.
These attestations confirm that the surname Gossage exists within the documented genealogical record of England and illustrates the varied spelling that has occurred over the centuries. The name remains firmly rooted in English heritage and continues to be recognised for its historical significance.
Typical given names associated with the Gossage surname
Male
- Andrew
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Matthew
- Michael
- Nigel
- Paul
- Peter
- Richard
- William
Female
- Anna
- Caroline
- Christina
- Elizabeth
- Jennifer
- Jessica
- Louise
- Lucy
- Nicola
- Pamela
- Rebecca
- Sharon
- Susan
- Tracy
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Gossage in...
Braille
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Morse
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Semaphore
There are approximately 507 people named Gossage in the UK. That makes it one of Britain's least common surnames. Only around eight in a million people in Britain are named Gossage.
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Gossage
- Lucy Gossage - Triathlete
- Leslie Gossage - Royal Air Force air marshals (1891 to 1949)
- William Gossage - Chemist and businessman (1799 to 1877)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.