Gough Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Gough last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Gough last name
Meaning of the Gough last name: red-haired. Gough is a Welsh surname from coch, "red", a nickname for a red-haired man. It is common in the Welsh Marches, especially Shropshire and Herefordshire. The last name is usually said "goff". Field Marshal Hugh Gough, of an Irish branch, led British forces in India.
Arms associated with the Gough name
Coats of arms associated with the Gough surname follow English heraldry, each set out in a short blazon.
Get your full Gough family history
This is only a glimpse of the Gough story. The full Gough history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Gough coat of arms. Get the full Gough report.
Gough name FAQ
What does the Gough name mean?
Red-haired. Common variants include Goff, Goch.
Where does the Gough surname come from?
It originates in Wales, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a Gough coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Gough coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).