NameCensus.

UK surname

Goding

A habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "good valley" or "good meadow."

In the 1881 census there were 138 people recorded with the Goding surname, ranking it #16,292 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 123, ranked #27,115, down from #16,292 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Englishcombe, Tiverton, Portisham and Banwell. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Colchester, Sheffield and Hartlepool.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Goding is 230 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 10.9%.

1881 census count

138

Ranked #16,292

Modern count

123

2016, ranked #27,115

Peak year

1851

230 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Goding had 138 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,292 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 123 in 2016, ranked #27,115.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 230 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Goding surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Goding surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Goding 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 230 #9,368
1861 historical 195 #12,263
1881 historical 138 #16,292
1891 historical 136 #19,601
1901 historical 104 #22,310
1911 historical 140 #18,657
1997 modern 149 #21,214
1998 modern 149 #21,755
1999 modern 148 #22,020
2000 modern 150 #21,781
2001 modern 145 #21,951
2002 modern 159 #21,086
2003 modern 149 #21,766
2004 modern 146 #22,202
2005 modern 142 #22,577
2006 modern 143 #22,619
2007 modern 145 #22,693
2008 modern 143 #23,160
2009 modern 144 #23,577
2010 modern 141 #24,460
2011 modern 138 #24,615
2012 modern 126 #26,148
2013 modern 127 #26,452
2014 modern 125 #26,896
2015 modern 126 #26,654
2016 modern 123 #27,115

Geography

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Where Godings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Englishcombe, Tiverton, Portisham, Banwell, London parishes and St Pancras. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Colchester, Sheffield, Hartlepool, Wycombe and Newcastle upon Tyne. 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 Englishcombe, Tiverton Somerset
2 Portisham Dorset
3 Banwell Somerset
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Pancras London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Colchester 022 Colchester
2 Sheffield 037 Sheffield
3 Hartlepool 003 Hartlepool
4 Wycombe 001 Wycombe
5 Newcastle upon Tyne 019 Newcastle upon Tyne

Forenames

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First names often paired with Goding

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Goding

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

Suburban Professionals

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

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, Goding 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

Goding is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

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

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Goding falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Goding

The surname Goding is of English origin, with roots dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English personal name "Goding" or "Goda," which means "good" or "god." The name likely originated in various areas of England, particularly in the counties of Kent, Sussex, and Surrey.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which lists a landowner named "Goding" in Buckinghamshire. This suggests that the name was already established in England before the Norman Conquest.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "Godding," "Godyn," and "Godin," reflecting the regional variations in spelling and pronunciation. Several members of the Goding family were recorded in medieval records, including Richard Goding, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1203.

The name Goding was also associated with various place names in England, such as Goding Green in Kent and Goding's Green in Surrey. These place names likely derived from individuals bearing the surname Goding who lived or owned land in those areas.

One notable figure with the surname Goding was Sir Roger Goding, a wealthy merchant and landowner who lived in the 15th century. He served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1437 and 1438, and was known for his philanthropic efforts, including the establishment of a free grammar school in Chelmsford, Essex.

Another individual of historical significance was John Goding, born in 1615, who emigrated from England to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 17th century. He became a prominent figure in the colonial settlement of Hampton, New Hampshire, serving as a selectman and town clerk.

In the 18th century, the surname Goding was also found in various parts of England, including Oxfordshire, where Thomas Goding (1699-1781) was a notable farmer and landowner. He was known for his innovative agricultural practices and his involvement in local affairs.

Other notable individuals with the surname Goding include Sir William Goding (1768-1851), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars, and John Goding (1857-1927), an English cricketer who played for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club in the late 19th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Goding families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Goding 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. Middlesex leads with 47 Godings recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.47x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 47 3.47x
Somerset 33 15.12x
Kent 10 2.16x
Hampshire 9 3.24x
Durham 7 1.74x
Surrey 7 1.06x
Berkshire 6 5.90x
Gloucestershire 6 2.26x
Glamorgan 4 1.69x
Dorset 3 3.37x
Sussex 2 0.87x
Channel Islands 1 2.49x
Devon 1 0.35x
Herefordshire 1 1.80x
Norfolk 1 0.48x
Northumberland 1 0.50x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 16 Godings recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.18x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 16 12.18x
Weston Super Mare 11 199.64x
Bethnal Green London 9 15.28x
Banwell 8 1000.00x
Stranton 7 51.55x
Ash Next Ridley 5 1724.14x
Bucklebury 5 943.40x
St Pancras London 5 4.58x
Twerton 5 222.22x
Walcot 5 43.03x
Whitechapel London 5 37.43x
Kensington London 4 5.31x
Lyncombe Widcombe 4 70.05x
Cheltenham 3 14.62x
Milton In Milton 3 152.28x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 11.00x
St George Hanover Square 3 12.56x
Swansea Town 3 15.50x
Chickerell 2 526.32x
Limehouse London 2 13.44x
Portsea 2 3.67x
South Stoneham 2 33.17x
Southampton St Mary 2 11.44x
Battersea 1 2.00x
Beaulieu 1 232.56x
Brighton 1 2.17x
Clifton 1 7.44x
Croydon 1 2.73x
Hampstead London 1 4.73x
Icklesham 1 250.00x
Lambeth 1 0.85x
Llangynwyd Higher 1 88.50x
Newcastle On Tyne 1 454.55x
Newington 1 2.00x
North Cerney 1 344.83x
Northfleet 1 24.51x
Norwich St Clement 1 41.32x
Portsmouth 1 15.63x
Southampton All Sts 1 20.96x
St George Bloomsbury 1 12.85x
St Marylebone London 1 1.38x
St Saviour 1 45.05x
Strood 1 37.88x
Tiverton 1 20.58x
Walterstone 1 1428.57x
Wargrave 1 114.94x
Westbury On Trym 1 11.10x
Wyke Regis 1 78.13x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 12
Emma 8
Eliza 3
Sarah 3
Amelia 2
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Clara 2
Elizabeth 2
Emily 2
Hannah 2
Harriet 2
Kate 2
Maria 2
Merina 2
Ada 1
Ann 1
Cath. 1
Cathe. 1
Catherine 1
Cecilia 1
Eleanor 1
Eliz. 1
Fanny 1
Francis 1
Jestina 1
Julia 1
Kezia 1
Laura 1
Lavinia 1
Lenora 1
Luisa 1
Mable 1
Margaret 1
Margrate 1
Nellie 1
Nelly 1
Rebecca 1
Rosa 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 11
George 8
William 5
Arthur 3
Charles 3
Edward 3
Henry 3
James 3
Albert 2
Eli 2
Francis 2
Philip 2
Phillip 2
Robert 2
Thomas 2
Alfred 1
Anthony 1
Emma 1
Emmanl. 1
Frank 1
Fredrick 1
Isaac 1
Richard 1
Samel 1
Stephen 1
Walter 1
Willm. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Goding surname: questions and answers

How common was the Goding surname in 1881?

In 1881, 138 people were recorded with the Goding surname. That placed it at #16,292 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Goding surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 123 in 2016. That gives Goding a modern rank of #27,115.

What does the Goding surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "good valley" or "good meadow."

What does the Goding map show?

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