NameCensus.

UK surname

Gofton

In the 1881 census there were 169 people recorded with the Gofton surname, ranking it #14,324 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 316, ranked #14,227, up from #14,324 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Gateshead, Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon) and Filey. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hartlepool, Portsmouth and Gateshead.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gofton is 334 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 87.0%.

1881 census count

169

Ranked #14,324

Modern count

316

2016, ranked #14,227

Peak year

2000

334 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gofton had 169 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,324 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 316 in 2016, ranked #14,227.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 268 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Gofton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gofton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gofton 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 113 #15,815
1861 historical 88 #22,554
1881 historical 169 #14,324
1891 historical 171 #16,733
1901 historical 190 #15,634
1911 historical 268 #12,332
1997 modern 311 #13,217
1998 modern 316 #13,424
1999 modern 325 #13,257
2000 modern 334 #12,980
2001 modern 320 #13,143
2002 modern 333 #13,062
2003 modern 321 #13,218
2004 modern 317 #13,400
2005 modern 313 #13,433
2006 modern 292 #14,148
2007 modern 293 #14,272
2008 modern 293 #14,364
2009 modern 306 #14,218
2010 modern 325 #13,946
2011 modern 319 #14,000
2012 modern 324 #13,751
2013 modern 321 #14,073
2014 modern 322 #14,113
2015 modern 318 #14,155
2016 modern 316 #14,227

Geography

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Where Goftons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Gateshead, Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon), Filey, Tynemouth and St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hartlepool, Portsmouth and Gateshead. 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 Gateshead Durham
2 Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon) Northumberland
3 Filey Yorkshire, North Riding
4 Tynemouth Northumberland
5 St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles Yorkshire, East Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hartlepool 001 Hartlepool
2 Portsmouth 023 Portsmouth
3 Gateshead 009 Gateshead
4 Hartlepool 002 Hartlepool
5 Gateshead 005 Gateshead

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gofton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gofton

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Gofton surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Gofton 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 house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Gofton 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

Gofton 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

Gofton 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 Gofton 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 Gofton, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

1881 census detail

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Gofton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gofton 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. Yorkshire leads with 88 Goftons recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.39x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 88 5.39x
Northumberland 33 13.45x
Durham 30 6.12x
Hampshire 9 2.66x
Leicestershire 4 2.19x
Surrey 3 0.37x
Kent 1 0.18x
Middlesex 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Filey in Yorkshire leads with 27 Goftons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2045.45x.

Place Total Index
Filey 27 2045.45x
Tynemouth 23 175.04x
Westoe 11 39.57x
North Frodingham 10 2631.58x
Portsea 9 13.59x
Wallsend 8 102.83x
Sculcoates 7 27.03x
East Rainton 6 631.58x
Falsgrave 6 248.96x
Fimber 6 6000.00x
Heworth 5 51.76x
Thornaby 5 81.97x
York St Maurice 5 162.34x
Gateshead 4 10.89x
Leicester St Margaret 4 8.97x
Leppington 4 10000.00x
Bridlington 3 80.21x
Holy Trinity 3 7.64x
Chirton 2 36.04x
Clapham 2 9.70x
Linthorpe 2 20.51x
Low Coniscliffe 2 2222.22x
Ovington 2 2500.00x
Bessingby 1 1250.00x
Bishopwearmouth 1 2.38x
Gillingham 1 8.62x
Great Driffield 1 29.85x
Gristhorpe Newbiggin 1 909.09x
Guisbrough 1 28.01x
Howsham 1 1000.00x
Hutton Magna 1 1000.00x
Kensington London 1 1.09x
Middlesbrough 1 4.70x
Pelton 1 42.92x
Penge 1 9.50x
Scarborough 1 6.74x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 11
Robert 10
George 8
Joseph 7
Thomas 7
James 4
William 4
Edward 3
Ernest 3
Richard 3
Samuel 3
Benjamin 2
Charles 2
Francis 2
Henry 2
Albert 1
Arthur 1
Charle 1
Edwin 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Joshua 1
Matthew 1
Ralph 1
Septimus 1
Welford 1
Wilfred 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Gofton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gofton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 169 people were recorded with the Gofton surname. That placed it at #14,324 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gofton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 316 in 2016. That gives Gofton a modern rank of #14,227.

What does the Gofton map show?

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