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Bogus Goldstraw  Surname History

Some images of surname history documents available on the internet and in shopping malls
- sadly, not one of them is worth the paper it is printed on!




The Ancient History of the Distinguished Surname Goldstraw.

We have received the following correspondence from a Goldstraw surfer:

"I regret to say that I have just obtained a copy of the so called Goldstraw Surname History from a well known company which specializes in the supply of Surname Histories and Family Coats of Arms.

I am of the view that what I have received is little more than a document designed to flatter the ignorant rather than inform the uninformed.

This document claims, quite wrongly that the name first appears in the County of Yorkshire - "Your name, Goldstraw, occurred in many references, but from time to time, spellings included Goldthorpe, Goldsthrop, Goldssthorpe, Goldthorpe, Goldthrop, Goldthrupp, Goldsthrope, and many others."

This hypothesis has absolutely no basis in fact. In the real world, anyone bearing the name Goldstraw who has bothered to trace their family history through birth, marriage, death certificates, wills and associated documents, will know that the origins of their name lies in the name of Goostrey. Unless it is proved otherwise, I can only assume that this company (and quite possibly other rival merchants) has found a similar sounding English village name and made the wild conjectural link to it !

This "history" then goes on to flatter the reader more by stating that "The surname Goldstraw emerged as a notable family name in the county of Yorkshire where they were anciently seated at Goldthorpe in the West Riding."

The reader will also be pleased to note that the "Goldstraw family played an important roll in politics in both England and Scotland."

The Goldstraw family were never "anciently seated" in Goldthorpe, it may be possible that the Goldthorpe family were, but it would be a gross bending of the truth to mix these two families.

The "Coat of arms" 1purporting to be that of Goldstraw, is an amateur variation of what is in fact the arms issued to Goldthorpe - these Arms were never granted to anyone bearing the name of Goldstraw and they should not be assumed by anyone other than the heirs of the Goldthorpe grantee.

Most of the words in this 1700 word document are exactly the same as most other surname histories supplied by this firm.

I am somewhat disappointed to find that anyone who visits such a "bucket shop" or associated web site, will be so misinformed.

I will be writing to them in the vain hope that they will change their computer print out to reflect something more akin to the truth."

If you really want a certificate which gives an informed view of your origins,
copy the information given in our web pages Dialect Plays a Part and Goostrey where it all began.
Then you can paste it to any word processor, play around and make it look as pretty as you wish, print it to any quality of paper you choose - hey presto
your very own surname history- all for no cost.

Here's one I made earlier, copy it and print it out if you wish.

"The World Book" of Goldstraws - Beware of this scam

[Martin's Note: The Arms represented in this ridiculous document - I would blazon as: Gules a Chevron between three Bulls Heads (two and one) caboshed Sable - are recorded in "Papworth's" as; Frend (of Stowford), Stowford co. Devon; the heiress married Walrond. p.442 of the 1874 edition reprinted in 1977.] (back to text)
 

Some rather unfortunate misinformation on the history of the Goostrey surname.


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