NameCensus.

UK surname

Godbolt

A name referring to someone who, in medieval times, was renowned for their archery skills.

In the 1881 census there were 131 people recorded with the Godbolt surname, ranking it #16,824 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 131, ranked #26,004, down from #16,824 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Hockwell with Wilton and Gorleston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Great Yarmouth, Northampton and Croydon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Godbolt is 170 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.0%.

1881 census count

131

Ranked #16,824

Modern count

131

2016, ranked #26,004

Peak year

1891

170 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Godbolt had 131 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,824 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 131 in 2016, ranked #26,004.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 170 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Outer Suburbs.

Godbolt surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Godbolt surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Godbolt 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 129 #14,406
1861 historical 141 #16,072
1881 historical 131 #16,824
1891 historical 170 #16,816
1901 historical 148 #18,212
1911 historical 139 #18,745
1997 modern 143 #21,761
1998 modern 148 #21,841
1999 modern 142 #22,607
2000 modern 141 #22,648
2001 modern 139 #22,541
2002 modern 147 #22,197
2003 modern 136 #23,045
2004 modern 133 #23,528
2005 modern 128 #24,076
2006 modern 136 #23,378
2007 modern 129 #24,503
2008 modern 131 #24,583
2009 modern 128 #25,427
2010 modern 146 #23,921
2011 modern 148 #23,520
2012 modern 144 #23,902
2013 modern 149 #23,765
2014 modern 137 #25,345
2015 modern 130 #26,093
2016 modern 131 #26,004

Geography

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Where Godbolts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Hockwell with Wilton, Gorleston, Belton and Blundeston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Great Yarmouth, Northampton and Croydon. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Hockwell with Wilton Norfolk
3 Gorleston Suffolk
4 Belton Suffolk
5 Blundeston Suffolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Great Yarmouth 003 Great Yarmouth
2 Great Yarmouth 009 Great Yarmouth
3 Great Yarmouth 008 Great Yarmouth
4 Northampton 014 Northampton
5 Croydon 034 Croydon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Godbolt

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Godbolt

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Outer Suburbs

Nationally, the Godbolt surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Outer Suburbs, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Godbolt household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods are found on the outer edges of many towns and cities. Many residents were born outside the UK. Indian ethnic group representation is high. There are high numbers of families with dependent children aged 5 to 14. Incidences of disability and of provision of unpaid care are low. Neighbourhoods provide a mix of detached housing and flats, and terraced housing is not uncommon. Levels of overcrowding are low and homeownership rates are high. Professional and managerial occupations are prevalent: unemployment is low and education to degree level is the norm.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Godbolt is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Godbolt is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Godbolt falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Godbolt 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 Godbolt, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Godbolt

The surname Godbolt is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from a place called Godboldesfeld, which means "the open land of a man called Godbolde." The name is thought to have been derived from the Old English words "god" meaning good, and "bold" meaning a dwelling or house.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Godbolt can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a record of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror after the Norman Conquest. In the Domesday Book, the name is spelled as "Godboldesfeld."

During the 13th century, the surname Godbolt began appearing in various historical records and documents across different counties in England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Somerset. In these records, the name was often spelled in different variations, such as Godbold, Godbolde, and Godebold.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Godbolt was John Godbolt, who was born around 1450 in Lincolnshire, England. He was a renowned legal writer and compiler of law reports during the reign of King Edward IV.

Another notable figure with the surname Godbolt was Sir Richard Godbolt, who lived in the 16th century and was a member of the English gentry. He served as a Justice of the Peace in Somerset and was known for his involvement in local government affairs.

In the 17th century, a man named Thomas Godbolt was born in 1620 in Somerset. He was a prominent landowner and served as a member of the English Parliament during the Commonwealth period under Oliver Cromwell.

During the 18th century, a family with the surname Godbolt settled in the American colonies. One of their descendants, James Godbolt, was born in 1765 in North Carolina and fought as a patriot during the American Revolutionary War.

Another individual with the surname Godbolt was William Godbolt, who was born in 1810 in Lincolnshire, England. He was a renowned architect and was responsible for designing several notable buildings, including churches and public buildings, in various parts of England during the Victorian era.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Godbolt families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Godbolt 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. Norfolk leads with 36 Godbolts recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.05x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 36 19.05x
Middlesex 33 2.68x
Suffolk 22 14.70x
Surrey 13 2.17x
Essex 10 4.12x
Kent 8 1.91x
Berkshire 2 2.17x
Cambridgeshire 1 1.28x
Oxfordshire 1 1.32x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Yarmouth in Norfolk leads with 16 Godbolts recorded in 1881 and an index of 102.24x.

Place Total Index
Great Yarmouth 16 102.24x
Kensington London 11 16.10x
Brentwood 9 608.11x
Lound 8 4210.53x
Belton 7 2692.31x
Lee 7 114.94x
Mile End Old Town London 7 26.76x
Thetford St Mary 7 1372.55x
St Sepulchre London 6 333.33x
Wandsworth 6 50.72x
Ealing 5 45.54x
Gorleston 5 131.58x
Lambeth 5 4.67x
Raveningham 3 3000.00x
Wheatacre All Sts 3 5000.00x
Battersea 2 4.42x
Feltwell 2 540.54x
Islington London 2 1.68x
Newbury 2 67.80x
Bressingham 1 476.19x
Brockdish 1 555.56x
Chigwell 1 43.67x
Clare 1 138.89x
Hackney London 1 1.45x
Heckingham 1 714.29x
Ipswich St Mary Stoke 1 71.94x
Lewisham 1 4.47x
Loddon 1 204.08x
Oxford St Giles 1 27.62x
Reedham 1 277.78x
St Mary Magdalen Old Fish 1 2000.00x
Wisbech St Peter 1 25.64x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Ellen 4
Sarah 4
Alice 3
Catherine 3
Eliza 3
Emily 3
Harriet 3
Ann 2
Annie 2
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Clara 2
Edith 2
Elizabeth 2
Georgina 2
Ada 1
Agusta 1
Amy 1
Daisy 1
Emma 1
Flora 1
Georgehanner 1
Grace 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Lauria 1
Louisa 1
Maria 1
Marian 1
Martha 1
Maude 1
Mildred 1
Pheba 1
Rosa 1
Rosanna 1
Rose 1
Selina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 7
George 6
John 6
Charles 4
Henry 4
James 4
Albert 3
Alfred 3
Fredk.C. 3
Harry 2
Walter 2
Arthur 1
Ben 1
Charlie 1
Easter 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Herbert 1
Hiram 1
Lathan 1
Levi 1
Mark 1
Robert 1
Thomas 1
Willm.H. 1

FAQ

Godbolt surname: questions and answers

How common was the Godbolt surname in 1881?

In 1881, 131 people were recorded with the Godbolt surname. That placed it at #16,824 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Godbolt surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 131 in 2016. That gives Godbolt a modern rank of #26,004.

What does the Godbolt surname mean?

A name referring to someone who, in medieval times, was renowned for their archery skills.

What does the Godbolt map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Godbolt 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.