Gobeau

Although this name is Mid European its origin is French. It is job descriptive deriving from "Gobel" itself a development of the Old Celtic "Gobet" and describes a maker of Goblets, tankards, and drinking vessel. The medieval meaning is less specific and could be taken to mean a worker in semi precious metals. There are a vast number of alternative spellings including Gobeau, Gobeaux, Gobel, Goublier, Goblet, Gobler etc., the early records in England showing Gobell, Gooble, and Goble, one Jhon Gooble, for instance, is recorded as marrying Annys Melly at St. Brides Church, Fleet Street, on July 27th 1589. The continental and Mid European records are poor, and generally inadequate, where they exist at all, the result of endless war and shifting populations. These include the following examples of the name and its developments - Michael Gobl christened at Kisvaszar, Baranya, Hungry, on July 1st 1830, Barabara Gobllas christened at Dorrebach, Rhineland, on July 31st 1794, and Joseph Govles who married Catarina Beck at Milleeschoutz, Romania, on August 7th 1848. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Johannes Jacob Goboler, which was dated September 1st 1636, christened at London, Bayern, Germany, during the reign of Pope Urban V111, September 1623 - July 24th 1644. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.