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.