Yate Family History

For someone who lived by a gate (Middle English yat, Old English geat), in some cases because they acted as the gatekeeper or porter to a hall, a monastery, or some other important building. Redmonds Dictionary of Yorks Surnames mentions a witness to a set of deeds who is variously named as John ad portam, John le Porter, and John atteyate, 1322–6 in Yorks Deeds (Wadworth WR Yorks).

Compare Yeatman and Gate. For someone who lived at or came from Yate (Gloucs), which is recorded as Gete in 118, the place-name derives from Old English geat ‘gate’.