Gorham

Most recently updated: 

Gorham Surname Origin

Gorham Lineage
John Gorham 1518-1588, father of Frederick James Gorham Jr 1550-1576, father of Ralph Gorham 1575-1642, father of John Gorham Sr 1619-1676, father of Shubael Gorham 1667-1750, father of Lydia Gorham 1701-1763

Lydia Gorham > Thomas Worth > Barzillai Worth > Mary Worth > David Day > Phedora Alice Day > Lenore Inez Steger > Barbara Lou Tridle > Bill, Lynn, & Lori Lawson

Gorham Migration
Benefield, East Northamptonshire Borough, Northamptonshire, England > Swansea, Bristol County, Massachusetts > Barnstable, Barnstable County, Massachusetts > Nantucket, Nantucket County, Massachusetts

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Lydia Gorham, Bill's 6th Great-Grandmother
14 May 1701 - 1 March 1763
b. Nantucket, Nantucket County, Massachusetts
d. Nantucket, Nantucket County, Massachusetts

Cremated. Cemetery TBD

Ancestry | Find a Grave

Parents: 
Shubael Gorham 1667-1750
Puella Hussey 1677-1748

Spouse: Joseph Worth 1666-1732
Married: 8 Sep 1720
Children:  13

1. Anna Worth  1721-1795
2. Abigail Worth  1721-1788
3. Nathaniel Worth 1723-1806 
4. Reuben Worth 1725-1800
5. Silvanus Worth 1727-1811
6. Joseph  Worth Jr, 1729-1816
7. Lydia Worth 1731-1776
8. Sarah Worth 1732-1823
9. Miriam  Worth 1734-1763
10. Thomas Worth  1737-1824
11. Daniel W Worth  1739-1830
12. William Worth  1741-1792
13. Shubael Worth 1745-1824

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Shubael Gorham, Bill's 7th Great-Grandfather

21 October 1667 - 7 August 1750
b. Barnstable, Barnstable County, Massachusetts
d. Barnstable, Barnstable County, Massachusetts

Cemetery TBD

Ancestry | Find a Grave

Parents:
John Gorham 1619-1676
Desire Howland 1624-1683

Maternal Lineage:
Joan Hurst, mother of Elizabeth Tilley, mother of Desire Howland, mother of Subael Gorham

Spouse:   Puella Hussey 1677-1748
Married:   1 May 1695
Children:  10

1. George Gorham 1697–1772
2. Abigail Gorham 1699–1778
3. Lydia Gorham 1701–1763
4. Hannah Gorham 1703–1751
5. Theodate Gorham 1705–1787 
6. Daniel Gorham 1708–1745
7. Desire Gorham 1710–1801 
8. Ruth Gorham 1713–1792
9. Deborah Gorham 1715–1787
10. Sarah Gorham 1717 – 1778

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John Gorham Sr, Bill's 8th Great-Grandfather

28 January 1619 - 5 February 1676

b. Benefield, East Northamptonshire Borough, Northamptonshire, England
d. Swansea, Bristol County, Massachusetts

Cobb's Hill Cemetery East and West
Barnstable, Barnstable County, Massachusetts

Ancestry | Find a Grave

Parents:
Ralph Gorham 1575-1642
Margaret Stephenson 1575-1643

Maternal Lineage:
Margaret Stephenson 1575-1643

Spouse: Desire Howland 1624-1683
Married: 20 February 1643
Children:

1. Desire Gorham 1644-1700
2. Temperance Gorham 1646-1715
3. Elizabeth Gorham 1648-1683
4. James Gorham 1650-1707
5. John Gorham Jr 1651-1715
6. Joseph Gorham 1654-1726
7. Jabez Gorham 1656-1726
8. Mercy Gorham 1658-1725
9. Lydia Gorham 1661-1744
10. Hannah Gorham 1665-1728
11. Shubael Gorham 1667-1750

Tags: Immigrated_to_USA

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Ralph Gorham, Bill's 9th Great-Grandfather

30 September 1675 - 5 April 1642
b. Benefield, East Northamptonshire Borough, Northamptonshire, England
d. Marshfield, Plymouth, Massachusetts

St. Mary Churchyard
Benefield, East Northamptonshire Borough, Northamptonshire, England

Ancestry | Find a Grave

Parents:

Frederick James Gorham Jr 1550-1576 
Eleanor Agenes Elizabeth Bernington 1553-1603

Maternal Lineage:
Eleanor Agenes Elizabeth Bernington 1553-1603

Spouse: Margaret Stephenson 1575-1643
Married: 23 March 1610 at Northamptonshire, England
Children: 

1. John Gorham Sr 1619-1676
2. Others TBD

Tags: Immigrated_to_USA

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Frederick James Gorham Jr, Bill's 10th Great-Grandfather
Nickname: James
1550 - 19 February 1576
b. Northamptonshire, England
d. Northamptonshire, England

Cemetery TBD

Ancestry | Find a Grave 

Parents: 
John Gorham 1518-1588
Elizabeth Elena Allen 1510-1603

Maternal Lineage:
Elizabeth Elena Allen 1510-1603

Spouse: Eleanor Agnes Elizabeth Bernington Benham 1553-1603

Married: 27 Jan 1562 at Parish of St. Mary the Virgin, Benefield, Northamptonshire, England

Children: 2

1. Ralph Gorham 1575-1642
2. Robert Gorham 1575-1643

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Bibliography 

Ancestry ®. "Public Member Trees Database.” © 1997-2025 Ancestry®.  Ancestry.  ancestry.com/ Lawson-Robertson Family Tree. www.ancestry.com/family-tree/tree/10075800/family  User profile for William Harris Lawson, Jr., user Livingweb. Accessed 26 November 2025.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/103861670/lydia-worth: accessed November 27, 2025), memorial page for Lydia Gorham Worth (14 May 1701–1 Mar 1763), Find a Grave Memorial ID 103861670; Maintained by Judy (contributor 47764312).

---, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/103847963/shubael-gorham: accessed November 27, 2025), memorial page for Shubael Gorham (21 Oct 1667–7 Aug 1750), Find a Grave Memorial ID 103847963; Maintained by Judy (contributor 47764312).

---, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/38570795/john-gorham: accessed November 27, 2025), memorial page for CPT John Gorham Sr. (28 Jan 1619–5 Feb 1676), Find a Grave Memorial ID 38570795, citing Cobb's Hill Cemetery East and West, Barnstable, Barnstable County, Massachusetts, USA; Maintained by V. Nareen Lake (contributor 46613568).

---, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/66751033/ralph-gorham: accessed November 27, 2025), memorial page for Ralph Gorham (30 Sep 1575–5 Apr 1642), Find a Grave Memorial ID 66751033, citing St. Mary Churchyard, Benefield, East Northamptonshire Borough, Northamptonshire, England; Maintained by V. Nareen Lake (contributor 46613568).

---, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/281608245/frederick_james-gorham: accessed November 27, 2025), memorial page for Frederick James Gorham Jr. (1550–19 Feb 1576), Find a Grave Memorial ID 281608245; Maintained by Finding Family Roots (contributor 49840645).

Geneanet. "Public Member Database." © 1996. Geneanet. en.geneanet.org Accessed 26 November 2025.

Google. "AI Overview." Search term, "Gorham Surname Origin." Google. 

https://www.google.com/search?q=Gorham+Surname+Origin  Accessed 30 November 2025.

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Miscellanea

Talking Kin™: Gorham

https://www.talkingkin.com/2025/09/gorham.html
© 2025 William H Lawson Jr

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