NameCensus.

UK surname

Goes

A topographic surname referring to a geographical feature such as a hill or slope.

In the 1881 census there were 2 people recorded with the Goes surname, ranking it #33,721 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 149, ranked #23,844, up from #33,721 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Swindon, South Kesteven and Barnet.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Goes is 149 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 7350.0%.

1881 census count

2

Ranked #33,721

Modern count

149

2016, ranked #23,844

Peak year

2016

149 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Goes had 2 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,721 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 149 in 2016, ranked #23,844.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 16 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Goes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Goes surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Goes 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 2 #33,133
1861 historical 13 #32,208
1881 historical 2 #33,721
1891 historical 16 #32,868
1901 historical 4 #33,876
1911 historical 4 #33,595
1997 modern 60 #31,629
1998 modern 61 #31,841
1999 modern 61 #31,971
2000 modern 65 #31,641
2001 modern 64 #31,602
2002 modern 67 #31,723
2003 modern 80 #30,425
2004 modern 75 #31,233
2005 modern 74 #31,522
2006 modern 88 #30,160
2007 modern 89 #30,383
2008 modern 96 #29,654
2009 modern 99 #29,754
2010 modern 102 #29,930
2011 modern 107 #28,979
2012 modern 124 #26,432
2013 modern 136 #25,252
2014 modern 136 #25,452
2015 modern 140 #24,836
2016 modern 149 #23,844

Geography

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Where Goes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Swindon, South Kesteven and Barnet. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Swindon 015 Swindon
2 South Kesteven 001 South Kesteven
3 Barnet 012 Barnet
4 Swindon 017 Swindon
5 Barnet 026 Barnet

Forenames

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First names often paired with Goes

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Goes

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Goes surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Goes household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Goes is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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

These residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Goes is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Goes falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Goes is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Goes

The surname Goes has its origins in the Netherlands, where it first emerged in the late 14th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Dutch word "goes," which means a gander or a male goose. This suggests that the name may have originally been a nickname given to someone who exhibited characteristics resembling a gander, such as a proud or strutting demeanor.

The earliest known bearer of the Goes surname was Jan van Goes, a Dutch painter born in Monnickendam around 1420. Van Goes is known for his religious works, including the Portinari Altarpiece, which he completed in 1476. Another notable figure was Hugo van der Goes, a Flemish painter born in Ghent around 1440. He is best known for his masterpiece, the Portinari Triptych, which he created between 1475 and 1478.

In the 16th century, the Goes surname appeared in various records and manuscripts, including the Registers of the Dutch East India Company. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this name was Willem Goes, a Dutch navigator and explorer who served in the East India Company and participated in several voyages to Southeast Asia in the early 1600s.

The Goes surname also has connections to several place names in the Netherlands, such as Goedereede, a town in South Holland, and Goeree-Overflakkee, a former island and municipality. These place names may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

Among the notable individuals with the Goes surname in later centuries was Antonie Goedhart Goes, a Dutch lawyer and politician born in 1805. He served as the Governor of the Dutch East Indies from 1857 to 1861. Another prominent figure was Wilhelmus Johannes Goes, a Dutch military officer and colonial administrator born in 1837. He served as the Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies from 1888 to 1893.

In the 20th century, one of the most renowned individuals with the Goes surname was Boudewijn Jacobus Pieter de Groot Goes, a Dutch military officer and resistance leader during World War II. Born in 1899, he played a crucial role in organizing and leading the Dutch resistance against the German occupation.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Goes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Goes 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. Staffordshire leads with 2 Goes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.72x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 2 30.72x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wolverhampton in Staffordshire leads with 2 Goes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 400.00x.

Place Total Index
Wolverhampton 2 400.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Jane 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 1

Top occupations

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 Goes households.

Occupation Count
Refiner Of Metals 1

FAQ

Goes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Goes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2 people were recorded with the Goes surname. That placed it at #33,721 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Goes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 149 in 2016. That gives Goes a modern rank of #23,844.

What does the Goes surname mean?

A topographic surname referring to a geographical feature such as a hill or slope.

What does the Goes map show?

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