NameCensus.

UK surname

Goble

Derived from a Middle English nickname for a heavy eater or a greedy person, from "gobbel" meaning "greedy."

In the 1881 census there were 866 people recorded with the Goble surname, ranking it #4,370 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,114, ranked #5,279, down from #4,370 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst, London parishes and Brighton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Oxford, Brighton and Hove and Maidstone.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Goble is 1,228 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 28.6%.

1881 census count

866

Ranked #4,370

Modern count

1,114

2016, ranked #5,279

Peak year

2002

1,228 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Goble had 866 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,370 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,114 in 2016, ranked #5,279.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,116 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Goble surname distribution map

The map shows where the Goble surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Goble surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Goble over time

The 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 577 #4,415
1861 historical 597 #4,436
1881 historical 866 #4,370
1891 historical 918 #4,503
1901 historical 1,015 #4,699
1911 historical 1,116 #4,165
1997 modern 1,151 #4,880
1998 modern 1,226 #4,792
1999 modern 1,206 #4,911
2000 modern 1,211 #4,863
2001 modern 1,174 #4,909
2002 modern 1,228 #4,804
2003 modern 1,212 #4,765
2004 modern 1,196 #4,820
2005 modern 1,158 #4,914
2006 modern 1,150 #4,935
2007 modern 1,160 #4,949
2008 modern 1,171 #4,933
2009 modern 1,192 #4,963
2010 modern 1,200 #5,046
2011 modern 1,179 #5,062
2012 modern 1,154 #5,074
2013 modern 1,173 #5,091
2014 modern 1,163 #5,150
2015 modern 1,126 #5,244
2016 modern 1,114 #5,279

Geography

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Where Gobles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst, London parishes, Brighton, Westbourne and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Oxford, Brighton and Hove, Maidstone and Havant. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst Sussex
2 London parishes London 3
3 Brighton Sussex
4 Westbourne Sussex
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Oxford 007 Oxford
2 Brighton and Hove 012 Brighton and Hove
3 Maidstone 009 Maidstone
4 Brighton and Hove 004 Brighton and Hove
5 Havant 005 Havant

Forenames

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First names often paired with Goble

These lists show first names that appear often with the Goble surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Goble

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Goble, 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

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Goble surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Goble household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Goble is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Goble is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Goble falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Goble is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Goble, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Goble

The surname Goble originated in England, with its earliest records dating back to the 12th century. The name is believed to derive from the Old English word "gobel," meaning "fork" or "forked piece of land." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived on a forked piece of land or near a fork in a river or road.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1190, which mention a person named Warin Gobel. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also record a Robert Gobel residing in Oxfordshire.

During the 13th century, the name appeared in various spellings, such as Gobel, Gobel, and Gobylle, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions of the time. The earliest known spelling of the modern form "Goble" can be traced back to a record from 1327 in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire.

In the 14th century, the name Goble appeared in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire, suggesting its presence in that region. The Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1524 also mention a John Goble from Gloucestershire.

One notable figure with the surname Goble was Sir William Goble (1570-1639), a successful merchant and alderman in London. He served as the Sheriff of London in 1616 and was knighted by King James I in 1618.

Another prominent individual was John Goble (1725-1804), an English writer and translator who is best known for his English translation of the works of the French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau.

In the 19th century, James Goble (1829-1908) was a prominent English architect who designed several notable buildings, including the Town Hall in Croydon and the Royal Masonic School for Boys in Bushey.

Another noteworthy individual was Mary Goble (1856-1940), an English philanthropist and suffragette who campaigned for women's right to vote and established several charitable organizations to support underprivileged women and children.

Furthermore, Warwick Goble (1862-1943) was a renowned English illustrator and artist, best known for his illustrations of children's books, particularly those by L. Frank Baum and Andrew Lang.

While the surname Goble has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia, due to migration and exploration in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Goble families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Goble surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Sussex leads with 362 Gobles recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.36x.

County Total Index
Sussex 362 25.36x
Kent 129 4.47x
Hampshire 123 7.09x
Middlesex 74 0.87x
Surrey 53 1.28x
Oxfordshire 18 3.44x
Essex 17 1.02x
Berkshire 16 2.52x
Durham 15 0.60x
Glamorgan 8 0.54x
Cheshire 7 0.37x
Lanarkshire 7 0.26x
Perthshire 6 1.58x
Herefordshire 5 1.44x
Bedfordshire 4 0.91x
Derbyshire 3 0.23x
Leicestershire 3 0.32x
Yorkshire 3 0.04x
Cornwall 2 0.21x
Lancashire 2 0.02x
Lincolnshire 2 0.15x
Northumberland 2 0.16x
Royal Navy 2 1.98x
Devon 1 0.06x
Hertfordshire 1 0.17x
Northamptonshire 1 0.13x
Somerset 1 0.07x
Warwickshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Brighton in Sussex leads with 94 Gobles recorded in 1881 and an index of 32.64x.

Place Total Index
Brighton 94 32.64x
Portsea 69 20.29x
Eastbourne 31 47.19x
Portslade 29 332.19x
Broadwater 27 82.47x
Westbourne 24 337.55x
Hove 19 30.33x
Lambeth 17 2.30x
Hackney London 13 2.74x
Maidstone 12 13.95x
Singleton 12 745.34x
Bicester Market End 10 104.17x
Greenwich 10 7.42x
Lancing 10 255.10x
Widley 10 322.58x
Isleworth 9 23.91x
Lower Halstow 9 428.57x
Ryde 9 24.14x
Wokingham 9 62.03x
Preston 8 32.09x
Rolvenden 8 213.90x
Altrincham 7 21.43x
Alverstoke 7 11.14x
Cheriton 7 59.42x
Eartham 7 1555.56x
Lee 7 16.69x
North Ockendon 7 721.65x
Southampton St Mary 7 6.41x
Warfield 7 121.32x
Westfield 7 229.51x
Whippingham 7 53.27x
Bishopwearmouth 6 2.78x
Brenenden 6 161.29x
Coyty Lower 6 62.70x
East Kilbride 6 51.15x
Hillingdon 6 22.23x
Little Dunkeld 6 93.02x
Lydd 6 97.09x
North Chapel 6 260.87x
Plumstead 6 6.23x
Rochester St Nicholas 6 66.74x
Subdeanery 6 55.40x
Sutton 6 20.10x
Westminster St James 6 6.89x
Westminster St John 6 5.82x
Arundel 5 62.58x
Caversham 5 47.80x
Folkestone 5 8.92x
Funtington 5 155.76x
Hampstead London 5 3.79x
Holmer 5 80.00x
Milton In Milton 5 40.72x
Newington 5 1.60x
Ore 5 47.04x
Sittingbourne 5 21.92x
South Bersted 5 41.19x
Sturry 5 146.20x
Sunderland 5 11.24x
Teddington London 5 26.07x
Waltham Holy Cross 5 32.01x
Bermondsey 4 1.59x
Bolney 4 172.41x
Croydon 4 1.75x
Deptford St Paul 4 1.80x
East Lavington 4 625.00x
Elmsted 4 320.00x
Iden 4 248.45x
Luton 4 5.27x
Madehurst 4 714.29x
Mereworth 4 172.41x
Southwick 4 52.98x
St Marylebone London 4 0.88x
Stockton On Tees 4 3.29x
Cold Waltham 3 260.87x
Fareham 3 14.38x
Godstone 3 40.60x
Graffham 3 250.00x
Leicester St Margaret 3 1.31x
Newbold Dunston 3 23.81x
Poling 3 576.92x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Goble surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 41
Ellen 26
Emily 26
Emma 23
Elizabeth 21
Sarah 20
Jane 18
Annie 16
Alice 15
Ann 15
Eliza 14
Louisa 11
Caroline 10
Edith 9
Fanny 9
Charlotte 8
Kate 8
Rose 8
Ada 6
Harriett 6
Esther 5
Martha 5
Minnie 5
Amelia 4
Anne 4
Clara 4
Frances 4
Maria 4
Susan 4
Agnes 3
Catherine 3
Julia 3
Laura 3
Lydia 3
Priscilla 3
Rebecca 3
Ruth 3
Anna 2
Beatrice 2
Bertha 2
Grace 2
Hannah 2
Hetty 2
Lucy 2
Margaret 2
May 2
Roserzina 2
Betsey 1
Elenor 1
Elizth. 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Goble surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
George 52
William 46
James 37
John 28
Charles 26
Henry 24
Thomas 21
Alfred 20
Arthur 16
Richard 12
Albert 11
Frederick 11
Edward 9
Harry 7
Robert 6
Samuel 6
David 4
Edwin 4
Herbert 4
Joseph 4
Edmund 3
Ernest 3
Frank 3
Jno. 3
Elijah 2
Fredrick 2
Geo. 2
Horace 2
Percy 2
Reuben 2
Richd. 2
Walter 2
Aurther 1
Benjamen 1
Cornelius 1
Edgar 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Geo.Wm. 1
Gideon 1
Gilbert 1
Gregory 1
Jesse 1
Leslie 1
Mark 1
Moses 1
Nelson 1
Owen 1
Payne 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Goble surname: questions and answers

How common was the Goble surname in 1881?

In 1881, 866 people were recorded with the Goble surname. That placed it at #4,370 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Goble surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,114 in 2016. That gives Goble a modern rank of #5,279.

What does the Goble surname mean?

Derived from a Middle English nickname for a heavy eater or a greedy person, from "gobbel" meaning "greedy."

What does the Goble map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Goble bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

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.