Gamgee family
From Tolkien Gateway
The Gamgee Family was an old family of the Shire, originally from the village of Gamwich. Samwise Gamgee of the Company of the Ring belonged to this family, though his branch was renamed Gardner in honour of his replanting of the Shire.
Etymology
Gamgee derives from the earlier name Gammidgy, referring to the village Gamwich of the Shire.[1]
Gamgee is the Anglicized translation of Hobbitish surname Galpsi.
Inspiration
Tolkien noted that Gamgee is an uncommon English surname whose origin he did not know. It was also a word for 'cotton-wool', derived from the name of Samson Gamgee who invented 'Gamgee tissue'.[2]
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix F, "On Translation"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "Nomenclature of The Lord of the Rings" in Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull (eds), The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, p. 758
