Surname Gatewood - Meaning and Origin
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Gatewood: What does the surname Gatewood mean?
The last name Gatewood is an English topographic surname, derived from the Old English words “gata” and “wudu” meaning “wood” or “forest”. It is likely that this surname originated as a form of descriptive identification, given to people who lived near an enclosed wood or a path to a woodland area. It could also have been used as a nickname for someone who frequented a wooded area often.
The name is generally still found throughout England, particularly in its northern regions. In Scotland, it has largely been replaced by an Anglicised version, “Woodgate”, stretching back to early Middle Ages. In the United States, the surname Gatewood is most common in the Southern states, particularly those that were part of the original Thirteen Colonies.
The Gatewood name is associated with several notable people throughout history, such as general Ulysses S. Grant's wife Julia Grant. She was born Julia Boggs Dent to a prominent slave-owning family of St. Louis, Missouri and changed her name to Julia Gatewood Grant (after her husband's middle name) upon their marriage.
Another notable Gatewood was Colonel Lucien Gatewood, a Confederate army officer who served under General Robert E. Lee. Upon his return to civil life, Gatewood operated a mercantile business in Charlottesville, Virginia and later served in the Virginia Legislature from 1871 to 1878.
The Gatewood surname is rich in history and is still popular today. It is associated with valor, bravery, and a deep connection to the natural environment.
Order DNA origin analysisGatewood: Where does the name Gatewood come from?
The Gatewood surname is most commonly found in the United States today, particularly in states with a large population of English ancestry like Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, and Alabama. According to the 1990 United States Census, the highest concentrations of the Gatewood surname were located in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
The Gatewood family in America began with two immigrants from England, Jeremiah Gatewood and his wife Susanna Bounds, who settled in James City County, Virginia in the early 1600’s. Many of their descendants chose to remain in the southeast, which is why the Gatewood surname is found there most commonly today. However, some members of the family have since spread throughout the United States and further abroad.
Family records suggest that the Gatewood surname may have originated from the town of Gatewood in the West Riding area of Yorkshire, England. To date, the only member of the Gatewood family who is known to have emigrated to America from England is Jeremiah Gatewood, which would suggest he was the first family member to adopt the Gatewood surname.
Regardless of where the Gatewood surname originated from, today it remains a common surname in the United States. Those in the southeast with the Gatewood surname can trace their lineage back to Jeremiah and Susanna Bounds’ arrival over four hundred years ago.
Variations of the surname Gatewood
The surname Gatewood is of English origin and has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. Some notable variants include Gattewood, Gateswood, Gatewode, Gaitwood, Gaitwode, Gothwood, Goodwood, Gotewode, and Gattwood. The surname derives from a location name, likely denoting one who resided near an area of land partially enclosed by a gate, or near a historic gate.
The earliest recorded instance of the name Gatewood appears in 1296 in the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk, where a Walter de Gattwode was recorded. The same Walter also has a record of his own Inquisition Post Mortem in 1311, indicating that he owned several properties. The Gatewood surname gained increased popularity during the Elizabethan period and is still widespread across England today.
Variants of Gatewood are particularly prevalent in the US and Canada, where they have become anglicized spellings and adopted surnames. The earliest record of Gatewood in the US appears in the state of Virginia in the early 1700s, when a Thomas Gatewood was recorded in the Virginia Muster of 1732. The surname is also particularly common in the southern states, likely due to the influx of English settlers in the region during this period.
The surname Gatewood may also have been adopted by individuals of other origins, particularly Irish immigrants. This is likely due to the Anglicisation of the Irish name Mac an Ghiobhair (Son of the Smith), which may have evolved into Gatewood. Similarly, variants of the surname Gatewood may have been adopted by Jewish immigrants to the United States, as they adapted their surnames to better fit in the US.
Famous people with the name Gatewood
- Maya Gatewood: American model, actress, and reality television personality best known for her public re-engagement to Omar Benson Miller from a 2018 episode of the American TV series Ready to Love.
- Jonathan Gatewood: Musician and founder of The Lovell Sisters Band, an all-female country-folk band.
- Gilda Gatewood: American film and television actress most active from the 1950s through the 1970s.
- Anne Gatewood: Professional dancer and actress, best known for her role as Satan in the 1978 movie “The Devil's Rain”.
- Steve Gatewood: Former professional basketball player who had a nine-year career in the NBA.
- Frank Gatewood: Former professional football player who spent five years in the NFL.
- Tom Gatewood: Professional football player and member of the College Football Hall of Fame.
- Anna Gatewood: Former dancer and Broadway performer who began her career performing in Las Vegas in the 1930s.
- Roberta Gatewood: Singer and songwriter from Louisiana who collaborated with a number of renowned hip-hop and R&B artists.
- Charles Gatewood: Photographer and author of more than thirteen volumes of photos and essays.