Gamgee family

From Tolkien Gateway
(Redirected from Gamgee Family)

The Gamgee family was an old family of the Shire, originally from the village of Gamwich. An offshoot was the Roper family. 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. Another, matrilineal, offshoot was the Fairbairn family.[1]

Etymology[edit | edit source]

"Gamgee" derives from the earlier name Gammidgy, referring to the village Gamwich of the Shire. "Gamgee" is the Anglicized translation of Hobbitish surname Galpsi.[2]

The Longfather–tree of Master Samwise[edit | edit source]

Showing also the rise of the families of Gardner of the Hill and of Fairbairn of the Towers.[1] The figures after the names are those of birth (and death where that is recorded). A dashed line indicates marriage.

Hamfast of Gamwich
1160
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Wiseman Gamwich
1200 [note 1]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Holman the greenhanded
1210 [note 2]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cottar
1220
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hob Gammidge the
Roper ('Old Gammidgy')
1246
 
Rowan
1249
 
Halfred Greenhand
(gardener)
1251
 
Erling
1254
 
Hending
1259
 
Rose
1262
 
 
 
 
 
Cotman
1260
 
Carl
1263
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hobson
(Roper Gamgee)
1285-1384
 
 
 
Holman Greenhand
1292
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Holman Cotton
('Long Hom')
1302 [note 3]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Andwise Roper
('Andy')
1323 [note 4]
 
Hamfast Gamgee
('Ham') the Gaffer
1326-1428 [note 5]
 
Bell Goodchild
 
May
1328
 
Halfred of Overhill
1332
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tolman Cotton
('Tom')
1341-1440
 
Lily Brown
 
Wilcome Cotton
('Will')
1346
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Halfast ('Hal')
1372
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Anson Roper
1361
 
Hamson Gamgee
1365
[note 6]
 
Halfred Gamgee
1369
[note 7]
 
Daisy Gamgee
1372
 
May
1376
 
Samwise Gamgee
(gardener)
1380 [note 8]
 
Marigold Gamgee
1383
 
Tolman Cotton
('Tom')
1380
 
Rose Cotton
1384-1482[3]
 
Wilcome Cotton
('Jolly')
1384
 
Bowman Cotton
('Nick')
1386
 
Carl Cotton
('Nibs')
1389
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Fastred of Greenholm
[note 9]
 
Elanor Gardner
('the Fair')
1421
 
Frodo Gardner
1423
 
Rose Gardner
1425
 
Merry Gardner
1427
 
Pippin Gardner
1429
 
Goldilocks Gardner
1431
 
Faramir Took I
[note 10]
 
Hamfast Gardner
1432
 
Daisy Gardner
1433
 
Primrose Gardner
1435
 
Bilbo Gardner
1436
 
Ruby Gardner
1438
 
Robin Gardner
1440
 
Tolman Gardner
('Tom')
1442
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Elfstan Fairbairn
1454[3]
 
Fíriel Fairbairn[4]
 
Holfast Gardner
1462
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Harding of the Hill
1501-1606
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Family tree notes[edit | edit source]

  1. Removed to Tighfield
  2. Of Hobbiton
  3. Of Hobbiton
  4. Of Tighfield
  5. Took up with his 'Cousin Holman' in Hobbiton as a gardener.
  6. Joined his uncle, the roper
  7. Removed to Northfarthing
  8. Rode from Bag End on 22 September 1482. Said to have passed over the Sea.
  9. Fastred and Elanor removed to the Westmarch, a country then newly settled (being a gift of King Elessar) between the Far Downs and the Tower Hills. From them came the Fairbairns of the Towers, Wardens of Westmarch, who inherited the Red Book, and made several copies with various notes and later additions.
  10. Son of Thain Peregrin I.

Inspiration[edit | edit source]

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'.[5]

References