UK surname
An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "golden meadow".
In the 1881 census there were 13 people recorded with the Gaulding surname, ranking it #31,761 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1, ranked #39,061, down from #31,761 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Silkstone, Tarrant Monckton and St Leonard Shoreditch. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gaulding is 106 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 92.3%.
1881 census count
13
Ranked #31,761
Modern count
1
2016, ranked #39,061
Peak year
1861
106 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Gaulding surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Gaulding surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.
| Year | Period | Count | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1851 | historical | 10 | #31,497 |
| 1861 | historical | 106 | #20,147 |
| 1881 | historical | 13 | #31,761 |
| 1891 | historical | 44 | #30,838 |
| 1901 | historical | 21 | #31,686 |
| 1911 | historical | 19 | #31,416 |
| 2006 | modern | 1 | #38,879 |
| 2007 | modern | 2 | #38,617 |
| 2008 | modern | 2 | #38,673 |
| 2009 | modern | 3 | #38,494 |
| 2010 | modern | 3 | #38,552 |
| 2011 | modern | 2 | #38,745 |
| 2012 | modern | 1 | #38,986 |
| 2013 | modern | 1 | #39,008 |
| 2014 | modern | 1 | #39,020 |
| 2015 | modern | 1 | #39,021 |
| 2016 | modern | 1 | #39,061 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Silkstone, Tarrant Monckton, St Leonard Shoreditch, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory and Lincoln St Margaret in the Close, St Peter in Eastgate, St Paul in the Bail, Castle Dykings, House. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Silkstone | Yorkshire, West Riding |
| 2 | Tarrant Monckton | Dorset |
| 3 | St Leonard Shoreditch | London (East Districts) |
| 4 | Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory | Northamptonshire |
| 5 | Lincoln St Margaret in the Close, St Peter in Eastgate, St Paul in the Bail, Castle Dykings, House | Lincolnshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Gaulding surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Gaulding, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.
These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.
The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.
UK neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Gaulding surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Gaulding household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Gaulding is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Gaulding is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Gaulding, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname GAULDING is of English origin, deriving from the Medieval English "gaul(d)ing", meaning "lacking energy or vitality". It emerged in the 13th century as a descriptive nickname for someone perceived as lazy or sluggish in their movements.
The earliest known records of the name date back to the late 13th century, with entries in the Hundredorum Rolls of Yorkshire in 1273 referring to a William Gaulding and a Roger Galdyng. These variations in spelling were common in the Middle Ages before standardized spelling conventions.
By the 14th century, the name had spread across England, appearing in documents such as the Subsidy Rolls for Staffordshire in 1327, which listed a Thomas Galdyng. The Gaulding spelling also emerged during this period, with a John Gaulding recorded in the Lay Subsidy Rolls for Wiltshire in 1332.
The name's association with specific locations can be traced back to the 16th century, with records of a Gaulding family residing in the village of Willen, near Newport Pagnell in Buckinghamshire. This may have given rise to the variant spelling Willen-Gaulding, as recorded in the parish registers of Newport Pagnell in the late 1500s.
Notable individuals with the surname GAULDING include:
1. John Gaulding (c.1605-1665), an English Puritan minister and author who served as the pastor of the church in Hingham, Massachusetts.
2. Robert Gaulding (1701-1786), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Worcestershire from 1741 to 1747.
3. Elizabeth Gaulding (1760-1828), an English poet and author, best known for her collection of poems titled "Poems on Various Subjects" published in 1810.
4. William Gaulding (1819-1897), a British architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, including the St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel.
5. John Gaulding (1865-1936), an American businessman and philanthropist who co-founded the Gaulding Gasoline Company, later acquired by Standard Oil.
While the name's origins may have carried a negative connotation initially, the Gaulding surname has since become associated with individuals who have made notable contributions in various fields throughout history.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gaulding surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 5 Gauldings recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.32x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lancashire | 5 | 3.32x |
| Wiltshire | 5 | 44.60x |
| Devon | 1 | 3.79x |
| Gloucestershire | 1 | 4.02x |
| Lincolnshire | 1 | 4.93x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Downton in Wiltshire leads with 5 Gauldings recorded in 1881 and an index of 3333.33x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Downton | 5 | 3333.33x |
| Preston | 5 | 124.07x |
| East Stonehouse | 1 | 192.31x |
| Goltho | 1 | 0.00x |
| Hawkesbury | 1 | 1250.00x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Gaulding surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Gaulding surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Gaulding households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 4 |
| Accountants Clerk | 1 |
| Ag Lab | 1 |
| Lab Wife | 1 |
| Small Farmer | 1 |
| Town Hall Keeper Munic | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 13 people were recorded with the Gaulding surname. That placed it at #31,761 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 1 in 2016. That gives Gaulding a modern rank of #39,061.
An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "golden meadow".
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Gaulding bearers relative to the surrounding population.
The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.