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
"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
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.
Family tree notes
- ↑ Removed to Tighfield
- ↑ Of Hobbiton
- ↑ Of Hobbiton
- ↑ Of Tighfield
- ↑ Took up with his 'Cousin Holman' in Hobbiton as a gardener.
- ↑ Joined his uncle, the roper
- ↑ Removed to Northfarthing
- ↑ Rode from Bag End on 22 September 1482. Said to have passed over the Sea.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ Son of Thain Peregrin I.
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'.[5]
External links
- Vyacheslav Stepanov, "How to List the Children of Master Samwise Properly" 02 April 2024, RealElvish.net - Merin Essi ar Quenteli!
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix C, "The Longfather-tree of Master Samwise"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix F, "On Translation"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "Later Events Concerning the Members of the Fellowship of the Ring"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, "Preface", note 2
- ↑ 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