The seventh child, and fourth son, of Samwise Gamgee and Rose Cotton. He was the only one of Sam Gamgee's children to be named after one of Sam's own family: the name 'Hamfast' came from Sam'sown father, who was also known as Gaffer Gamgee. The Gaffer had died just four years before the birth of Sam's son Hamfast, and this possibly prompted the choice of his name.