ORIGINS
OF
THE
GATTER
NAME
The
name of Gatter seems to have two different geographical origins
with no family relations between Continental and British bearers
of this name:
Continental Europe
The name of "GATTER" means "Gate", and
is describing in the south of German speaking Europe the "dweller
by the gate". Related names of a similar origin are GATTERER,
GATTERMANN, GATTERMAN, GATTERBAUER, GATTERHUBER, GATTERMAIER, GATTEREDER,
GATTERDER, GATTERSTALLER, and GATTERSTEIGER.
The first evidence of this name is found in the year 1361 in the
German city of Speyer (house name HEINRICH ZU DEN GATTERN).
Due to a phonetic shift that has occured over the centuries, the
name has in some cases turned into GATER, KATTER, and CATTER.
Related names have sometimes turned into GATERMANN, KATTERMANN,
CATTERMANN, KATTERBAUER, KATERBAUER, GATERMAYER, and GOTTERMAIER.
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One of several fake coat of arms of the Gatter
family, produced by dubious genealogy institutes.
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Britain
The British GATTER family name has several different origins.
The name seems to have developped due to a phonetical shift from GATER,
GOATER or GATHER, in some cases even from CATTER.
After the norman conquest of Britain in the year 1066 the first evidence
of this name is found: Walter LE GATER mentioned in 1279 in the Rotuli
Hundredorum is the first bearer of this name. He is followed in 1301 by
Robert GATER mentioned in the Sussex Subsidy Rolls. The same source
names in 1332 William LE GATIER.
Three origins for this type of name were found:
If the latter were the origin of the British name of GATTER, then
at least linguistically there were a connection between the origins of
Continental and British bearers of this name.
Blood relations however do not seem to exist between these two families
of this name (unless we can prove an early migration from the Continet
to Britain (vice versa)). This would however have to have taken place
before the 15th century, since the name in its today spelling of "GATTER"
is already found in both areas at that time.
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