Surname Gouldie - Meaning and Origin

Gouldie: What does the surname Gouldie mean?

The last name Gouldie is believed to be of Scottish origin and is derived from the Celtic-Gaelic language. It is thought to mean “son of the golden one”, suggesting it is a nickname based on a personal attribute of someone in the family’s lineage.

Gouldie is thought by some to be an anglicized version of the surname MacGillie, which means “son of the servant”. This suggests someone in the family’s history that served in someone’s court or held a role of service.

The name Gouldie can often be found in Scotland, Ireland, England, and Wales, and many of the individuals with the surname migrated to North America during the height of immigration in the 19th and 20th centuries.

The Gouldie clan has a long and storied history in Scotland, believed to be linked to the MacDubh family of Dunkeld that were closely associated with the royal family. One of the earliest records of a person with the Gouldie surname was Laird Hector Cameron of Lochiel, Scotland, in the mid 16th century.

Today, the name Gouldie is still in use in Scotland, England, Ireland, Canada, and the United States, largely among those of Scottish ancestry, where it is pronounced “GOWL-ee.”

Gouldie: Where does the name Gouldie come from?

The last name Gouldie is commonly found today primarily in Canada and the United States, with some presence in the United Kingdom. In Canada, the name is especially common in the province of Nova Scotia; many of the members of the Gouldie family in this region can trace their ancestry back to County Fermanagh and other parts of Northern Ireland. In the United States, the Gouldie surname is most commonly found in the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts, presumably due to an influx of Irish immigrants who settled along the East Coast in the 1800s.

In the United Kingdom, there are fewer Gouldie-named individuals today. That said, the name has its roots in Scotland, where many members of the tribe of Galloway resided in the 15th century, prior to migrating to other parts of the world. There are also occurrences of the name in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, as well as parts of England.

Many Gouldie individuals are scattered across the globe, and the name has become much more spread out over the years. Most of those with the last name can trace their roots to Celtic or Gaelic origins, possibly linked to Scotland or Northern Ireland. There is a Gouldie clan still in existence today, with some members residing in the United States and Canada. While the Gouldie surname is not as common as it once was, it is still part of many family trees and heritage, with occasional sightings around the world.

Variations of the surname Gouldie

The surname Gouldie is derived from an Old French nickname for someone of a gilded complexion, and has many variations in spellings and surnames based on the same origin. In Scottish variations, the surname may appear as Goldie or Gowldie. In English spellings, the surname may appear as Goldey, Gowldey or Gauldey. In Irish variations, the surname may appear as Gola or Goaldi. An alternate Austrian variation is Gaudl or Gäudl. In German variations, the surname is spelled as Goldi, Golty, or Golti. Another German spelling, Goolde, is a regional name from Franconia, a region in the south of Germany. In the United States, the surname Gouldie is usually spelled Goldy or Goldie.

The spelling variations of the name Gouldie and its derivatives appear in multiple languages, including French, Gaelic, Irish, Scottish, German, English and Austrian. Some of the surnames that share the same origin include Gaudl, Goaldi, Goldy, Goldey, Gowldie, Gowldey, Golti, Goolde and Gola. It is possible that other alternative spellings and surnames exist, based on regional influences and current populations.

Famous people with the name Gouldie

• Karen Gouldie: British author, mainly writing children’s books.
• Jonathan Gouldie: American illustrator and author of a series of books based on his growing up experiences.
• Joe Gouldie: Canadian Olympic silver medallist in boxing.
• Bill Gouldie: Canadian former politician.
• Sherman Gouldie: Antiguan cricketer.
• Mike Gouldie: former Canadian football player.
• William Gouldie: early twentieth century English cricketeer.
• Gordon Gouldie: British cricketer and contemporary of William Gouldie.
• Jessie Gouldie: Canadian curler, competed at the 1954 world championships.
• Joe Gouldie: American actor, visible in such projects like “The Blob” and “Run Wild, Run Free”.
• Heather Gouldie: British ice dancer who, inexplicably, competed in the World Championships of Synchronized Swimming in 2009.
• Amos Gouldie: Canadian woodwind musician.
• Arthur Gouldie: Welsh professional wrestler, better known under the ring name “Grizzly” Smith.
• Michael Gouldie: Australian artist and sculptor whose works have been shown in both his home country and Scotland.
• Sir Thomas Gouldie: British military officer, commanded the British forces during the Siege of Basing House in 1645.
• James Gouldie: Australian rules footballer who played for Essendon, St. Kilda, and North Melbourne in the 1920s.
• Edith Gouldie: American painter who exhibited in the late 1930s and 1940s.
• Marian Gouldie: Canadian textile artist who won several awards for her hand-embroidered works.
• George Gouldie: British Salvation Army leader who served in the UK, United States, and Canada.
• Fergus Gouldie: Scottish minister who wrote several books about the culture and history of New Zealand.

Other surnames

GouldGouldeGoulderGouldingGouldy