NameCensus.

UK surname

Golden

A surname referring to someone with blond hair, a cheerful disposition, or a connection to gold or wealth.

In the 1881 census there were 1,262 people recorded with the Golden surname, ranking it #3,230 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,675, ranked #3,731, down from #3,230 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dudley, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include High Peak, Blackburn with Darwen and Dover.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Golden is 1,728 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 32.7%.

1881 census count

1,262

Ranked #3,230

Modern count

1,675

2016, ranked #3,731

Peak year

2010

1,728 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Golden had 1,262 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,230 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,675 in 2016, ranked #3,731.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,266 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Golden surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Golden surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Golden 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 975 #2,863
1861 historical 1,109 #2,525
1881 historical 1,262 #3,230
1891 historical 1,219 #3,527
1901 historical 1,204 #4,091
1911 historical 1,266 #3,754
1997 modern 1,530 #3,843
1998 modern 1,603 #3,833
1999 modern 1,627 #3,810
2000 modern 1,634 #3,776
2001 modern 1,576 #3,830
2002 modern 1,645 #3,744
2003 modern 1,653 #3,664
2004 modern 1,671 #3,631
2005 modern 1,633 #3,670
2006 modern 1,633 #3,681
2007 modern 1,622 #3,728
2008 modern 1,612 #3,772
2009 modern 1,679 #3,723
2010 modern 1,728 #3,692
2011 modern 1,688 #3,728
2012 modern 1,668 #3,709
2013 modern 1,700 #3,707
2014 modern 1,699 #3,724
2015 modern 1,676 #3,734
2016 modern 1,675 #3,731

Geography

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Where Goldens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dudley, London parishes, Gateshead, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Keighley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to High Peak, Blackburn with Darwen, Dover and Kirklees. 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 Dudley Staffordshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Keighley Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 High Peak 011 High Peak
2 Blackburn with Darwen 008 Blackburn with Darwen
3 Dover 006 Dover
4 Kirklees 059 Kirklees
5 Blackburn with Darwen 012 Blackburn with Darwen

Forenames

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First names often paired with Golden

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Golden

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Golden, 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 Golden surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Golden 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, Golden 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

Golden 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

Golden falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Golden 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Golden

The surname Golden is of English origin, with roots dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "gylden," meaning "golden" or "gilded." This surname likely originated as a descriptive name, referring to someone with golden hair or a fair complexion.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Golden surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1166, where a certain Robert Golden is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use during the latter part of the 12th century.

In the 13th century, the Golden surname appeared in various records across England, including the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, where a William Golden is listed. This indicates that the name had spread to different regions of the country by that time.

During the 14th century, the Golden surname continued to be documented in various historical records. For instance, in 1379, a John Golden is mentioned in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire. Additionally, the Cartularium Monasterij de Rameseia, a 14th-century manuscript from the Ramsey Abbey in Cambridgeshire, includes references to individuals with the Golden surname.

Prominent figures with the Golden surname throughout history include Sir Thomas Golden (1508-1586), an English politician and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another notable figure is Edward Golden (1624-1701), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Archdeacon of Sudbury.

The Golden surname also has connections to place names in England. For example, there is a village called Golden Green in Kent, which may have influenced the development of the surname in that region.

Other notable individuals with the Golden surname include John Golden (1875-1935), an American theatrical producer and manager who was instrumental in the development of Broadway theatre. Additionally, there is Harry Golden (1902-1981), an American humorist and author known for his satirical works on Jewish life in the American South.

It is worth noting that the Golden surname has undergone various spelling variations over time, such as Golding, Goulden, and Goulding, among others. These variations often reflect regional dialects or scribal errors in historical records.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Golden families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Golden 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 162 Goldens recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.33x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 162 1.33x
Middlesex 135 1.10x
Lancashire 133 0.91x
Norfolk 109 5.76x
Durham 92 2.51x
Kent 88 2.10x
Surrey 81 1.35x
Hampshire 64 2.54x
Sussex 55 2.65x
Cambridgeshire 45 5.78x
Worcestershire 38 2.37x
Lanarkshire 27 0.68x
Wiltshire 26 2.39x
Cheshire 25 0.92x
Warwickshire 22 0.71x
Essex 20 0.82x
Lincolnshire 16 0.81x
Staffordshire 15 0.36x
Angus 14 1.23x
Northumberland 14 0.77x
Glamorgan 12 0.56x
Cumberland 9 0.85x
Nottinghamshire 9 0.54x
Huntingdonshire 7 2.87x
Somerset 7 0.35x
Brecknockshire 6 2.44x
Renfrewshire 5 0.52x
Derbyshire 4 0.21x
Oxfordshire 3 0.39x
Berkshire 2 0.22x
Denbighshire 2 0.43x
Royal Navy 2 1.36x
Shropshire 2 0.19x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.13x
East Lothian 1 0.61x
Flintshire 1 0.30x
Gloucestershire 1 0.04x
Hertfordshire 1 0.12x
Leicestershire 1 0.07x
Midlothian 1 0.06x
Selkirkshire 1 0.90x
Stirlingshire 1 0.22x
Suffolk 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Keighley in Yorkshire leads with 34 Goldens recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.17x.

Place Total Index
Keighley 34 26.17x
Bermondsey 30 8.19x
Northrepps 28 1161.83x
Dudley 25 12.80x
Southrepps 20 546.45x
Brighton 19 4.54x
Folkestone 19 23.34x
Hackney London 19 2.76x
Bower Chalk 18 1016.95x
Glasgow 18 2.55x
Huddersfield 18 10.14x
Lambeth 17 1.59x
Lamesley 17 86.29x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 16 10.09x
Bromley London 15 5.54x
St Pancras London 15 1.52x
Bradford 14 4.74x
Heigham 14 13.79x
Milford 14 190.22x
Minstead 14 385.67x
Kirton In Lindsey 13 166.88x
Wigan 13 6.37x
Dundee 12 2.82x
Toxteth Park 12 2.43x
Birmingham 11 1.06x
Hulme 11 3.61x
Ashton Under Lyne 10 3.13x
Barton 10 735.29x
Holy Trinity 10 3.41x
Newport 10 73.10x
Worthing 10 2083.33x
Chelsham 9 476.19x
Elm 9 117.96x
Kensington London 9 1.32x
Manchester 9 1.37x
St Marylebone London 9 1.37x
Thorpe Market 9 1046.51x
Almondbury 8 13.57x
Burnley 8 6.51x
Gradley 8 103.09x
Gringley On Hill 8 228.57x
Liverpool 8 0.90x
Penge 8 10.18x
Ryhope 8 31.48x
Shoreditch London 8 1.50x
Aston 7 0.82x
Barnsley 7 5.57x
Chatteris 7 35.21x
Froyle 7 217.39x
Grays Thurrock 7 31.01x
Hollington 7 94.85x
Loose 7 113.64x
North Walsham 7 51.32x
Salford 7 1.63x
Witton Gilbert 7 48.44x
York St Denis In 7 131.09x
Brecknock St John 6 28.93x
Camberwell 6 0.76x
Cheriton 6 35.07x
Cottenham 6 57.97x
Enfield 6 7.43x
Everton 6 1.29x
Fifield Bavant 6 2222.22x
Frome 6 12.67x
Gillingham 6 6.93x
Hartlepool 6 11.54x
Lenham 6 71.68x
Lewisham 6 2.68x
Ramsey 6 30.69x
Stockport 6 4.29x
Taverham 6 689.66x
Tudhoe 6 18.74x
Whittlesey St Mary St 6 22.05x
Ashburnham 5 153.37x
Friern Barnet 5 18.45x
Greenwich 5 2.55x
Lancaster 5 5.76x
Lympne 5 210.97x
Mile End Old Town London 5 1.91x
Southcoates 5 7.39x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 72
William 61
James 47
Thomas 46
George 30
Edward 27
Charles 23
Henry 19
Patrick 15
Harry 11
Joseph 11
Richard 11
Frederick 10
Michael 10
Albert 9
Arthur 9
Benjamin 8
Francis 8
Herbert 8
Peter 8
Alfred 7
Stephen 7
Walter 6
Daniel 5
Frank 5
Samuel 5
Alexander 4
Joshua 4
Robert 4
Thos. 4
David 3
Martin 3
Anthony 2
Benj. 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Felix 2
Fredrick 2
Isaac 2
Matthew 2
Nathan 2
Percy 2
Philip 2
Richd. 2
Timothy 2
Allick 1
Benjamen 1
Elliot 1
Frances 1
Wright 1

FAQ

Golden surname: questions and answers

How common was the Golden surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,262 people were recorded with the Golden surname. That placed it at #3,230 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Golden surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,675 in 2016. That gives Golden a modern rank of #3,731.

What does the Golden surname mean?

A surname referring to someone with blond hair, a cheerful disposition, or a connection to gold or wealth.

What does the Golden map show?

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