You get five free Pro level answers from perplexity.ai and I used one to address your question. It's always worth checking the sources to confirm what they say (as when using Wikipedia), but here's the answer:
The surname Gatty and its variants have diverse origins across different cultures and languages:
- Nickname for Cat-like Characteristics: The surname Gatty and variants like Gatte, Gatti, and Gattes likely originated as nicknames for someone with cat-like traits such as agility, sharpness, or cleverness[2][5].
- German Origin - Companion or Partner: The variant Gattes is of German origin, derived from the German word 'Gatte' meaning 'mate' or 'husband', symbolizing companionship or partnership[5].
- Habitational Name from Scotland: The Scottish origin of Gatty is thought to be a habitational name taken from the place name Geddes, which comes from a Gaelic term for a mountain ridge[4].
- Metronymic Origin from the Name Gertrude: In England, particularly in Cornwall and Devon, Gatty derives from medieval pet forms of the female name Gertrude, an example of a rare metronymic surname origin[1][2].
The surname has also evolved into similar variants like Chatte, Chatty, Gathe, and Gato, which share the common theme of nicknames based on cat-like characteristics[5]. Overall, the diverse origins highlight the rich history behind the Gatty surname.
Citations:
[1] https://forebears.io/surnames/gatty
[2] https://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Gatty
[3] https://surnam.es/gatty-surname
[4] https://www.houseofnames.com/gatty-family-crest
[5] https://www.igenea.com/en/surnames/g/gattes
