Gough/Goff History & Genealogy Norman Gough School of Computing and Information Technology, University of Wolverhampton, Lichfield Street, Wolverhampton, WV1 1EL, UK.

Home - Goff/Gough Early History Martial Goughs (14^th/15th C) Sir Matthew Gough Forest of Dean (~1600) Manor of Marsh and Whitton Manor (1431-1705) William Goffe - regicide  Wool Trade in London and Wolverhampton Goughs in Ireland Emigration from UK Famous Goughs and places Gough Roll of Honour My Family History Contact information E-mail Norman Gough Telephone: +44 1902 321832 Fax: +44 1902 321491 Page last updated 13/05/2004

This is an abridged version of a historical account of the Goffe/Goff/Gough name. For the most part, it draws together descriptions of the more famous Goughs that are already in the public domain. However, in doing so, it reveals many names that are of interest to genealogists. It includes material on the famous Goughs of Wolverhampton and Ireland, Goughs who emigrated to the USA and other locations, miscellaneous links about the Gough name and its variants, and some background on my own family history from Montgomery in Wales. Gough Early History The first Goughs are believed to have been located in Radnorshire near the border between England and Wales. Most authorities ascribe the origin of the name Gough to the Welsh word Coch meaning 'red', although the word Gof meaning 'blacksmith' is also a possibility. Through Anglo Saxon and Norman influences several forms appeared including ap Goch, Gogh, Goff, Gof, Goffe, Goughe , Goghe, Goughes, Gooch and Googh. There are many Cochs listed in the genealogy of the Royal families of Wales. However, some variations of the name - including Keough, McGough - are of Irish origin. The earliest reference to the name I have found is for Robert Gough 1287 in the Anglo Saxon Charters. However Larry Stephen Wilcox points out that a knight called Sir John Will Goch/Coch was captain of the Welsh bowmen fought against William The Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings October 14, 1066. In 1390, Iolo Goch (c.1320-c.1398), court poet to Owain Glyndowr wrote a famous poem describing the castle at Sycharth - a focus of power in the Welsh Marches in the fourteen century. Llewelyn Goch ap Neurin Hen (1360-1390) was a another notable Welsh poet of the period. The main stem of the family was traced to Owen Glendower's father, Griffydd Fychan, who became king of Wales. Gough or Goch meaning "the red" in this case probably came from Eleanor, the red-haired daughter and heiress of Catherine, one of the daughters of Llewellyn, the last Prince of Wales. Owain Lawgoch was a potential Welsh leader, but he was murdered by an assassin, John Lamb.

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