The GOWDY Family
in Ireland
David Gowdy submission (Nov. 11,
1999)
Gowdy name is not too common here in North Ireland, with two
or three clusters. I don't know much about our lot: my grandfather was a small shopkeeper
in Belfast in early 1900's, and died I think about 1930ish. I know more about his wife's
family, from Tyrone. There is an unrelated Gowdy shop-keeper still in business in
the same Belfast today. My father was one of 9 siblings (all now deceased).
The other clusters are in North Belfast, with another lot around Greyabbey about 15 miles from Belfast. There is also a "Gowdystown" - a small village in mid-County Down, a few miles South of Belfast. In total about 40 or 50 families in the NI phone book.
Goudy/Goudie even less common.
On the basis that Greyabby is the oldest settlement area, name could have first app about 1550/1600 (prior to that I would question if any family stayed in the area long enough - the abbey dates from about 1066-1200, and local formal Celtic settlement pre-dates that, but 1300-1600 was a rather nasty period). Name could well be Scots or another possibility is Hugenot. Gaude has a latin root - joy - or I believe Old French wineskin - and Gow is Scots for Smith.
No known link to USA, although many families from here would have migrated in that direction from about 1798 onwards.
Thomas George Gowdy - submitted by
Bianca Gowdy
Thomas George Gowdy was born in Belfast Nth Ireland. Thomas and his sister moved to
America. Thomas George Gowdy (now 78 years old) has a son Norman Gowdy who
immigrated to New Zealand about 40 years ago.