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Report: Go(a)tham as a Christian name / forename

         Description: [The table below extracts data from the trees that are online, so at present it and the accompanying article omit most Americans]

From the late C18th using a family or other surname as a Christian name, usually a middle name, became quite popular, particularly in Devon. This report summaries this use, with notes on what is known of the choice - who the recipients of the name were being named after and why.
It does not generally show the living, but there have been some recent instances (the most recent I know of were born in the 1990s). If you could see living data you would see an apparent gap from 1935 to the early 1970s with none; this is probably due to me not knowing that a 'G' stands for Goatham or Gotham because middle names were dropped from the GRO indexes for many years (those missing in the original index from the early C20th to 1934 can now be found in the GRO online index).

At the time of writing there are 70 with the middle name of Gotham or Goatham, 67 between 1782 and 1930. Of these 67, just 7 were relations of or named after Kent 'Goathams'.
Of these seven:
    three were not blood relations of Goathams, and the name appears a tribute to a Goatham;
    one was illegitimate, and Goatham was probably the father's surname;
    just three were given the family name because doing so had become popular: 2 were given their mother's maiden name, 1 their paternal grandmother's maiden name.
By contrast most of the others were Devonians or recently descended from the Devon Gothams. Even there, the practice was particularly found in some families, and varied in that some gave the same middle name (usually the mother's maiden name) to most of their children, others used a variety of family surnames. The number shown with Gotham or Goatham as a middle name is somewhat arbitrary due to one particular branch; Gotham was given as a middle name to some Potter children, but this practice continued over several generations, until some started using Gotham not as a forename but part of a double-barrelled surname, Gotham Potter. Quite when this change from second Christian name to first part of surname occurred is not entirely clear (there are often double entries in indexes) - hence the number being somewhat arbitrary.

It was not just in Kent and by the Devon Gothams that Go(a)tham was given as a middle name; it is also found in those from the Shropshire Gottams and the Lancashire group, despite the latter having only recently acquired the surname (from the Anglicization of an Irish surname).

Sometimes the first name used with the Gotham / Goatham middle name suggests a person was named after a particular person, in others there is no closely related person with the first Christian name, or there is, but they were not a Gotham (by birth or marriage). Quite often the first name was so common that it is not possible to tell.

The following table is in order of One-Name Study groups; it can also be viewed in birth date order here.

One-Name Study groups

These appear after the name and in a separate 'Suffix [ONS gp]' column.

[G-?(M)] - Gothams of unknown origin, found in Middlesex
[G-D(n)] - Devon Gotham ancestry where n can be:
    AD - Gothams and their descendants who descend from Andrew of Abbotskerswell, Gothams still in Devon
    LS - Gothams and their descendants who descend from Agnes of Abbotskerswell, moved to Liverpool and Staffordshire
    MB - Gothams and their descendants from a Gotham family in Morchard Bishop (now thought probably also descendants from Agnes of Abbotskerswell)
    TM - Gothams and their descendants from a Gotham family of Teignmouth Mariners (now believed also to be descendants from Agnes of Abbotskerswell)
[G-K] - Kentish Goatham ancestry
[G-L] - Gotham ancestry originating in Lancashire in C19th from Anglicization of an Irish surname
[G-S] - Shropshire/Staffordsire Gotham ancestry (n.b. separate from the many Staffordshire Gothams with Devon Gotham ancestry)

Matches 1 to 60 of 67

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#	Full Name	Middle name relationship	Birth Date	Birth Place	Suffix [ONS gp]	Person ID
1	Stephen Gotham VAITES		Abt Jan 1861	Shelton sub-district, Stoke on Trent Reg Dist, Staffordshire, England		I301409
2	Frank Gotham WALDER, [G-?(M)]	The married surname of his great grandmother Ann Digance's sister Sarah and ...	Dec Q 1905	Barnstaple Reg Dist, Devon, England	[G-?(M)]	I300954
3	Conrad William Gotham GILMOUR, [G-D(AD)]	Gotham: his maternal great grandmother's maiden name	12 Nov 1912	New Zealand	[G-D(AD)]	I302087
4	Ida Marion Goatham POTTER, [G-D(AD)]	Her paternal great grandmother's maiden name	13 Aug 1906	New Zealand	[G-D(AD)]	I302091
5	William Gotham POTTER, [G-D(AD)]	His paternal grandmother's maiden name	1882	New Zealand	[G-D(AD)]	I300769
6	Joseph Gotham POTTER, [G-D(AD)]	His paternal grandmother's maiden name	1884	New Zealand	[G-D(AD)]	I302078
7	Frances Goatham POTTER, [G-D(AD)]	Her paternal grandmother's maiden name	1886	New Zealand	[G-D(AD)]	I302081
8	Edith Annie Goatham POTTER, [G-D(AD)]	Gotham: her paternal grandmother's maiden name	1890	New Zealand	[G-D(AD)]	I302083
9	Ida Goatham POTTER, [G-D(AD)]	Gotham: her paternal grandmother's maiden name	1896	New Zealand	[G-D(AD)]	I302082
10	Roydon George Gotham GILMOUR, [G-D(AD)]	Gotham: his maternal great grandmother's maiden name	19 Feb 1910	New Zealand	[G-D(AD)]	I302088
11	John Goatham POTTER, [G-D(AD)]	His paternal great grandmother's maiden name	1910	New Zealand	[G-D(AD)]	I302092
12	May Goatham POTTER, [G-D(AD)]	Her paternal great grandmother's maiden name	1912	New Zealand	[G-D(AD)]	I302090
13	William Gotham POTTER, [G-D(AD)]	His paternal great grandmother's maiden name	20 Jul 1917	Port Chalmers, Otago, New Zealand	[G-D(AD)]	I300781
14	Esther Elizabeth Gotham POTTER, [G-D(AD)]	Her paternal great grandmother's maiden name	21 Feb 1905	New Zealand	[G-D(AD)]	I300762
15	Trevor John Gotham POTTER, [G-D(AD)]	His paternal great grandmother's maiden name	25 Feb 1911	New Zealand	[G-D(AD)]	I300768
16	Florence Frances Goatham POTTER, [G-D(AD)]	Gotham: her paternal great grandmother's maiden name	25 Jun 1915	Port Chalmers, Otago, New Zealand	[G-D(AD)]	I302577
17	Joseph James Gotham POTTER, [G-D(AD)]	Gotham: his paternal great grandmother's maiden name	26 Mar 1909	New Zealand	[G-D(AD)]	I302579
18	Ruby Gotham POTTER, [G-D(AD)]	Her paternal great grandmother's maiden name	29 Nov 1919	New Zealand	[G-D(AD)]	I306904
19	Edith Iona Gotham POTTER, [G-D(AD)]	Her paternal great grandmother's maiden name	7 Aug 1921	New Zealand	[G-D(AD)]	I307274
20	William Gotham POTTER, [G-D(AD)]	His mother's maiden name	Abt 1826	(probably), West Teignmouth, Devon, England	[G-D(AD)]	I300648
21	William Gotham POTTER, [G-D(AD)]	His mother's maiden name	Abt 1832	(probably), West Teignmouth, Devon, England	[G-D(AD)]	I300721
22	James Gotham POTTER, [G-D(AD)]	His mother's maiden name	Abt 1834	Teignmouth, Devon, England	[G-D(AD)]	I300070
23	Joseph Goatham POTTER, [G-D(AD)]	Gotham: his mother's maiden name	Abt 1836	Devon, England	[G-D(AD)]	I300774
24	Noel James Gotham GILMOUR, [G-D(AD)]	Gotham: his maternal great grandmother's maiden name	Abt 23 May 1914	New Zealand	[G-D(AD)]	I302086
25	Frances Perring Gotham JOHNS, [G-D(AD)]	Gotham: her mother's maiden name	Dec Q 1845	Callington, Cornwall, England	[G-D(AD)]	I300719
26	William Gotham JOHNS, [G-D(AD)]	His mother's maiden name	Dec Q 1856	South Hill, Cornwall, England	[G-D(AD)]	I300801
27	Frances Gotham POTTER, [G-D(AD)]	Her mother's maiden name	Mar Q 1846	Newton Abbot Reg Dist, Devon, England	[G-D(AD)]	I300777
28	Robert Henry Gotham OSBORN, [G-D(AD)]	His mother's maiden name	Mar Q 1858	Newton Abbot Reg Dist, Devon, England	[G-D(AD)]	I304868
29	Fanny Gotham MCCARTHY, [G-D(AD)]	Her maternal grandmother's maiden name	Mar Q 1871	East Stonehouse Reg Dist, Devon, England	[G-D(AD)]	I304615
30	Frederick James Gotham HENNINGS, [G-D(AD)]	Gotham: his paternal grandmother's maiden name	Mar Q 1913	Plymouth Reg Dist, Devon, England	[G-D(AD)]	I302611
31	Richard Gotham MINSHULL, [G-D(AD)]	After his father's step-father	Sep Q 1847	Liverpool Reg Dist, Lancashire, England	[G-D(AD)]	I302219
32	George Gotham MOUNTFORD, [G-D(LS)]	His mother's maiden name - his grandfather's name	14 Jul 1880	Burslem, Staffordshire, England	[G-D(LS)]	I302227
33	Sarah Gotham KEELING, [G-D(LS)]	Her mother's maiden name	16 Dec 1834		[G-D(LS)]	I301280
34	John Gotham WARD, [G-D(LS)]	His paternal grandmother's maiden name	30 Jul 1904	Etruria, Staffordshire, England	[G-D(LS)]	I304620
35	John Gotham SANT, [G-D(LS)]	His paternal grandmother's maiden name	5 Apr 1912	Stafford Reg Dist, Staffordshire, England	[G-D(LS)]	I302893
36	Emily Gotham SMALE, [G-D(LS)]	Her maternal grandmother's maiden name	Abt 1835	(probably), Exeter, Devon, England	[G-D(LS)]	I300984
37	Eric Gotham BIRCHALL, [G-D(LS)]	His birth surname, the maiden name of his biological mother and the aunt who adopted him	Sep Q 1926	Stoke on Trent Reg Dist, Staffordshire, England	[G-D(LS)]	I304010
38	Matthew Gotham JEFFERSON, [G-D(MB)]	His mother's maiden name	13 Jul 1813	Woolwich, Kent, England	[G-D(MB)]	I300423
39	John Gotham BAYNARD, [G-D(MB)]	Mother's maiden name	Abt 1782	(probably), Plymouth, Devon, England	[G-D(MB)]	I300569
40	Elizabeth Gotham PARRY, [G-D(MB)]	Mother's maiden name	Abt 1799	(probably), Plymouth, Devon, England	[G-D(MB)]	I300422
41	Margaret Gotham JEFFERSON, [G-D(MB)]	Her mother's maiden name	Abt 1808	Portsmouth, Hampshire, England	[G-D(MB)]	I300429
42	Margaret Gotham JEFFERSON, [G-D(MB)]	Her mother's maiden name	Abt 1808	Portsmouth, Hampshire, England	[G-D(MB)]	I300429
43	Margaret Gotham BARBER, [G-D(MB)]	Derived from her maternal grandmother's maiden name	Abt 1829	Newtown, Montgomeryshire, Wales	[G-D(MB)]	I300435
44	Elizabeth Gotham TARR, [G-D(TM)]	Mother's maiden name	10 Oct 1825	Fore Street, West Teignmouth, Devon, England	[G-D(TM)]	I300723
45	Thomas Gotham WHIDBORNE, [G-D(TM)]	Mother's maiden name	11 Aug 1791	(probably), Dawlish, Devon, England	[G-D(TM)]	I300696
46	Mary Ann Gotham TARR, [G-D(TM)]	Gotham: her mother's maiden name	11 Nov 1822	Fore Street, West Teignmouth, Devon, England	[G-D(TM)]	I300722
47	Grace Charlotte Gotham TARR, [G-D(TM)]	Gotham: her great grandmother's maiden name	17 Apr 1896	2, Brookleaze Buildings, Walcot, Bath, Somerset, England	[G-D(TM)]	I303397
48	John Gotham James MARCH, [G-D(TM)]	Gotham: his great grandmother's maiden name	18 Jun 1894	Bath Reg Dist, Somerset, England	[G-D(TM)]	I304617
49	Jane Gotham TARR, [G-D(TM)]	Her mother's maiden name	19 Feb 1829	Fore Street, West Teignmouth, Devon, England	[G-D(TM)]	I300785
50	Nicholas John Gotham TARR, [G-D(TM)]	Gotham: his mother's maiden name	20 Nov 1823	Fore Street, West Teignmouth, Devon, England	[G-D(TM)]	I300418
51	Thomas Benjamin Gotham WHIDBORNE, [G-D(TM)]	His great grandmother's maiden name	Dec Q 1849	Preston Reg Dist, Lancashire, England	[G-D(TM)]	I300791
52	Elizabeth Gotham TARR, [G-D(TM)] [After 1861?]	Her maternal grandmother's maiden name, also a middle name of her mother	26 Aug 1844	Olchard, Ideford, Devon, England	[G-D(TM)] [After 1861?]	I304755
53	Clara Goatham DAW, [G-K]	After Michael GOATHAM, her uncle (by marrigae) and substitute father?	14 Sep 1867	Marden, Kent, England	[G-K]	I24157
54	Amy Goatham SAYWELL, [G-K]	Her paternal grandmother’s maiden name	1862	Nelson, New Zealand	[G-K]	I2413
55	William Goatham WHITEHEAD, [G-K]	His mother's maiden name - after his grandfather William GOATHAM?	19 Jul 1856	Bredgar, Kent, England	[G-K]	I5954
56	May Goatham SCOTT, [G-K]	May Goatham: the married name of one of her mother's sisters, May Hampton FYFE SMITH ...	1917	Forfar Reg Dist, Forfarshire, Scotland	[G-K]	I24210
57	Edward Gotham THUNDER, [G-K]	After his mother's brother-in-law, Edward GOATHAM	20 Sep 1801	(probably), Margate, Kent, England	[G-K]	I17509
58	Christopher Goatham WOOD, [G-K]	Probably the surname of his biological father	4 Apr 1909	33, Shortlands Road, Sittingbourne, Kent, England	[G-K]	I24907
59	Daisy Eliza Goatham JOHNSON, [G-K]	After Eliza GOATHAM, a servant with whom her father had worked ...	Dec Q 1875	Paddington, Middlesex, England	[G-K]	I25016
60	Charles Goatham DEAN, [G-K]	Mother's maiden name	Jun Q 1858	Sittingbourne, Kent, England	[G-K]	I2147