Surname Gocher - Meaning and Origin
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Gocher: What does the surname Gocher mean?
The surname Gocher is considered to be of old Welsh origin, derived from the name of a profession or occupation. However, its exact meaning or the occupation it denotes is not clearly known or documented. Surnames, historically, were created to distinguish people by their occupation, location or by their father's name (patronymics). Some were based on physical appearance or personal characteristics. As with many Welsh names, "-er" signifies "one who does", suggesting Gocher could be someone who does something related to "goch". "Goch" means red in Welsh but without documented evidence, it's speculative to conclude that Gocher denotes a redhead or someone involved in a red-color related occupation. Many Welsh surnames have evolved and been anglicized over the centuries, hence the original meaning might have been lost. One must be aware of local variations and historical alterations. The definitive origin and meaning of the name Gocher remains unknown. It's recommended for more accurate information, professional genealogical research should be undertaken.
Order DNA origin analysisGocher: Where does the name Gocher come from?
The surname Gocher is believed to have derived from England. It may be a variation of the name "Goucher," which itself possibly originated from an Old French personal name "Goucher", or from the place name Gouy-Cher, a location in France.
Today, the surname Gocher is not particularly common in any specific region or country. Due to the patterns of migration and the spread of population around the world, it can be found scattered in different nations. There seem to be several families with this surname in the United States, England, and Australia, among others.
However, it's important to note that surname distribution data can change over time due to various factors including immigration, emigration, population growth, and cultural shifts. Therefore, while there may be more families with the Gocher surname in certain regions than others, this doesn't necessarily mean that it's a common surname in these areas. As is true for many less-common surnames, individuals with the Gocher surname are likely spread around the world.
Variations of the surname Gocher
The surname Gocher could have different spellings and variations depending on geographical location, language, and even simple recording errors. This English surname could be variantly spelled as: Goucher, Goshard, Gosher, Gouger and Gosharder.
In terms of a historical context, it is believed to have originated from a nickname "gouge", which means someone having an unusual, prominent, or protruding eyes, derived from the old French word "goge" which means "eye". This would have been a metonymic occupational name for someone who used a gouge in their work. The suffix "-er" was often added at the end of many old English occupational surnames, hence, giving us "Gocher".
Moreover, it is possible that Gocher could be a variant of the German surname "Göcher" which could also have variants spelled as "Goche", "Goecher" or "Goehrer".
However, all surnames have multiple possible origins. Many forward and backward spelling, phonetic, regional, and even cultural variations can and do occur. Therefore, it is not uncommon for similar surnames to owe their origins to completely different sources.
Famous people with the name Gocher
There doesn't seem to be a plethora of notable people with the surname Gocher, or at least not those who've achieved fame on an international scale. Bruce Gocher is one of the few people that stands out, a drummer and artist associated primarily with the Australian experimental band, The Sun City Girls. For much of their career, the band was comprised of the Gocher brothers: Bruce and Rick: along with guitarist Alan Bishop. Apart from this musical venture, Bruce was also known for his spoken word performances. Regrettably, Bruce passed away in 2007 from cancer.