Surname Filgate - Meaning and Origin
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Filgate: What does the surname Filgate mean?
The surname Filgate is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and it's likely a topographic or locational name. It could have derived from a place where "wild growth" or "thicket" was prominent, as in Old English, "fil" means "wild or uncultivated," and "gata" means "gate." Another possible interpretation suggests a locational origin, linking it to a place named Filgate.
However, it is not entirely clear as such a place doesn't seem to exist in the United Kingdom today. It could've been a small hamlet or village that has vanished, which was quite common due to natural disasters, diseases, or for socio-economic reasons like clearance of rural populations to make way for sheep pastures, during the 14th to 19th centuries.
Surnames had various sources; they could stem from a person's occupation, locality, nickname, or even a landmark. As the original bearer applied the name for specific reasons, its precise meaning might only be conjectured. Filgate is relatively rare, so its etymology could be as unique as the name itself.
Order DNA origin analysisFilgate: Where does the name Filgate come from?
The surname Filgate is of Anglo-Saxon origin and it has an English ethnic background. This surname is said to have originated from a geographical locality. 'at the Fil-gate', a gate where the file or thread was made. It's a unique last name mostly found in the United Kingdom and the United States. The last name Filgate has its highest density in Canada. The surname is quite rare and very few people in the world share it. Furthermore, the largest number of people with the last name Filgate are found in Ontario, followed by Alberta and British Columbia, as per available records. The absolute number of people named Filgate, however, is greatest in England. Because of the rarity of the surname, the communities of Filgates are not very large and they are scattered across the globe. Over time, the Filgate families have migrated and settled in different parts of the world, principally in Anglo-Saxon countries. Although Filgate is not a common last name, it continues to be carried and preserved by those who bear it with their lineage.
Variations of the surname Filgate
The surname Filgate is not very common and it is mainly found in England. There does not seem to be many variants of this surname. Different databases and genealogy resources suggest the surname may be of likely Anglo-Saxon origin.
There could be a possible connection with the surname "Philgate," but it's not widely recognized. Furthermore, the surname could be connected to a location, such as the Filgate Forest in Norfolk, UK.
However, spellings of surnames were not standardized until recent centuries, so in the older records the same person's name may appear spelled differently on different documents. Therefore, it is possible that the word might appear with varied spelling in older documents, possibly like Filgat, Felgate, Fellgate or Philgate depending on the phonetic interpretation of the census taker or scribe.
As always in genealogical studies, further personal research is recommended as each family's history and origins may differ and offer unique results. The surname doesn't seem to have a lot of variants and there isn't a lot of information about it.
Famous people with the name Filgate
There are not many famous people with the last name Filgate. However, a few notable people include Richard Filgate, a lawyer who served as the president of the Law Society of Northern Ireland, and Edith Filgate, who was known as Ireland's oldest person before her death in 2016. Additionally, Keith Filgate is an accomplished Canadian voice actor, who has lent his vocal talents to various television commercials and animations. Mitch Filgate is another known personality associated with this surname who was once a notable Australian rules footballer. Bruce Filgate was a cinematographer, known for "Awake, My Soul: The Story of the Sacred Harp" (2006) and "Ghost Orchid" (2011). It should be noted that the Filgate family is also recognized as being one of the landed gentry families of Ireland, with a history dating back centuries.