NameCensus.

UK surname

Golder

A surname derived from the Old French "gaudier" meaning a dyer of yellow or golden fabrics.

In the 1881 census there were 819 people recorded with the Golder surname, ranking it #4,576 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,209, ranked #4,920, down from #4,576 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, London parishes and Hawkinge, Folkestone. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stratford-on-Avon, Suffolk Coastal and Harlow.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Golder is 1,335 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 47.6%.

1881 census count

819

Ranked #4,576

Modern count

1,209

2016, ranked #4,920

Peak year

1998

1,335 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Golder had 819 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,576 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,209 in 2016, ranked #4,920.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,144 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Golder surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Golder surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Golder 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 538 #4,683
1861 historical 600 #4,419
1881 historical 819 #4,576
1891 historical 1,011 #4,112
1901 historical 1,144 #4,249
1911 historical 1,107 #4,191
1997 modern 1,243 #4,577
1998 modern 1,335 #4,446
1999 modern 1,324 #4,525
2000 modern 1,315 #4,523
2001 modern 1,286 #4,525
2002 modern 1,291 #4,604
2003 modern 1,280 #4,542
2004 modern 1,286 #4,528
2005 modern 1,233 #4,653
2006 modern 1,222 #4,706
2007 modern 1,227 #4,732
2008 modern 1,241 #4,715
2009 modern 1,271 #4,711
2010 modern 1,276 #4,788
2011 modern 1,257 #4,795
2012 modern 1,253 #4,734
2013 modern 1,255 #4,803
2014 modern 1,240 #4,871
2015 modern 1,233 #4,854
2016 modern 1,209 #4,920

Geography

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Where Golders are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, London parishes, Hawkinge, Folkestone, Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos and Bucknell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stratford-on-Avon, Suffolk Coastal, Harlow and Welwyn Hatfield. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 London parishes London 3
3 Hawkinge, Folkestone Kent
4 Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos Norfolk
5 Bucknell Oxfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stratford-on-Avon 012 Stratford-on-Avon
2 Suffolk Coastal 007 Suffolk Coastal
3 Harlow 008 Harlow
4 Welwyn Hatfield 010 Welwyn Hatfield
5 Welwyn Hatfield 013 Welwyn Hatfield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Golder

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Golder

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Golder surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Golder household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Golder is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Golder is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Golder 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 Golder is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Golder

The surname Golder is of English origin, and it is believed to have emerged during the medieval period in the regions of Worcestershire and Gloucestershire. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English word "golde," which referred to a bright yellow color or the precious metal gold. This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname given to someone who worked with gold, such as a goldsmith or a miner.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Golder surname can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where a person named Robert le Golder is mentioned. This early spelling variation, "le Golder," reflects the Norman French influence on English surnames during that time.

The name Golder is also believed to have been associated with certain place names, such as Golder's Green in Middlesex and Golder's Hill in London. These place names may have been derived from the surname itself, or they could have influenced the surname's development in those regions.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Golder surname. One example is Sir Thomas Golder (1570-1628), an English merchant and politician who served as the Governor of the East India Company from 1622 to 1623.

Another prominent figure was William Golder (1601-1672), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Brightwell, Berkshire. He is known for his work "A Discourse of the Whole Art of Curing," published in 1668.

In the 18th century, John Golder (1719-1795) was a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War. He achieved the rank of Vice Admiral and was awarded a baronetcy in 1786.

Thomas Golder (1794-1859) was a British architect and surveyor who worked on several notable projects in London, including the Royal Opera Arcade and the Lowther Arcade.

In the field of literature, Sarah Golder (1809-1895) was an English novelist and playwright known for her works such as "The Heir of Lambourne" and "The Coquette."

While these are just a few examples, the Golder surname has a rich history spanning several centuries and various fields, reflecting its enduring presence in England and the broader English-speaking world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Golder families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Golder 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. Oxfordshire leads with 149 Golders recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.39x.

County Total Index
Oxfordshire 149 30.39x
Kent 129 4.76x
Norfolk 89 7.29x
Lanarkshire 80 3.12x
Surrey 59 1.52x
Middlesex 51 0.64x
Staffordshire 35 1.31x
Warwickshire 29 1.45x
Durham 26 1.10x
Hampshire 20 1.23x
Suffolk 18 1.86x
Essex 12 0.77x
Northumberland 11 0.93x
Sussex 10 0.75x
Cumberland 8 1.17x
Worcestershire 8 0.77x
Cheshire 7 0.40x
Monmouthshire 7 1.22x
Nottinghamshire 7 0.65x
Perthshire 7 1.96x
Lancashire 6 0.06x
Aberdeenshire 5 0.68x
Derbyshire 5 0.40x
Berkshire 4 0.67x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.83x
Gloucestershire 4 0.26x
Somerset 3 0.23x
Argyllshire 2 0.90x
Ayrshire 2 0.34x
Leicestershire 2 0.23x
Midlothian 2 0.19x
Stirlingshire 2 0.68x
Yorkshire 2 0.03x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.20x
Devon 1 0.06x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.57x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.47x
Hertfordshire 1 0.18x
Lincolnshire 1 0.08x
Northamptonshire 1 0.13x
Renfrewshire 1 0.16x
Royal Navy 1 1.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Somerton in Oxfordshire leads with 40 Golders recorded in 1881 and an index of 4301.08x.

Place Total Index
Somerton 40 4301.08x
Folkestone 24 45.67x
Govan 24 3.78x
Bermondsey 23 9.73x
Avondale 20 133.24x
Bicester Market End 20 222.22x
Minster In Thanet 19 336.88x
Stokesby With Herringby 19 2087.91x
Birchington 17 448.55x
Norwich St Peter 17 212.23x
Hound 16 144.80x
Norwich St Martin At Oak 16 215.34x
Stoke Lyne 16 1059.60x
Barony 15 2.31x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 15 14.66x
Upper Heyford 15 1442.31x
Buckland In Dover 13 144.77x
Dalserf 13 50.72x
Bucknell 12 1666.67x
West Ham 12 3.47x
Lowestoft 11 24.08x
Kingston On Thames 9 9.68x
Bethnal Green London 8 2.32x
Brackenthwaite 8 2500.00x
Ewell Lydden 8 379.15x
Ickford 8 792.08x
Margate St John Baptist 8 16.13x
Norwich St Julian 8 155.64x
Sowe 8 221.61x
Tipton 8 9.75x
Yardley 8 30.15x
Chelsea London 7 2.93x
Minster In Sheppey 7 15.60x
Thrumpton 7 1590.91x
Wolston 7 1076.92x
Wolverhampton 7 3.40x
Caistor Next Yarmouth 6 139.53x
Cambuslang 6 23.18x
Fringford 6 535.71x
Hampstead London 6 4.85x
Kensington London 6 1.36x
Kilmadock 6 73.26x
Lower Heyford 6 419.58x
Penalt 6 461.54x
Tunstall 6 2068.97x
Wednesbury 6 8.96x
Westoe 6 4.48x
Alfreton 5 13.24x
Burton Dassett 5 282.49x
Chester St Mary On Hill 5 33.24x
Clatt 5 406.50x
Cowpen 5 18.38x
Gateshead 5 2.83x
Hackney London 5 1.12x
Kingston By Sea 5 234.74x
Norwich St John Timberhill 5 152.44x
Ringwould 5 215.52x
Sheldwich 5 289.02x
St Marylebone London 5 1.18x
Avon Dassett 4 540.54x
Kinver 4 51.75x
Long Crendon 4 124.61x
Norwich St George Colegate 4 90.09x
Norwich St Lawrence 4 239.52x
Putney 4 11.05x
Reading St Giles 4 6.84x
Rotherhithe 4 4.08x
Sudbourne 4 254.78x
Watlington 4 79.68x
Westbury On Severn East 4 11.36x
Barham 3 108.70x
Bexley 3 12.53x
Burntwood Edial 3 17.52x
Caversfield 3 1200.00x
Frimley 3 27.22x
Hethe 3 294.12x
Limehouse London 3 3.44x
Ripple 3 400.00x
Shepton Mallet 3 20.92x
Westgate 3 4.10x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 55
John 40
George 26
Thomas 24
James 21
Charles 15
Joseph 14
Henry 12
Alfred 11
Edward 11
Robert 10
Walter 7
Frederick 6
Albert 5
Arthur 5
Francis 4
Richard 4
David 3
Harry 3
Jacob 3
Matthew 3
Algernon 2
Caleb 2
Daniel 2
Drayson 2
Edwin 2
Fredk. 2
Gilbert 2
Hugh 2
Josiah 2
Quinton 2
Sidney 2
Theodore 2
Archibald 1
Authur 1
Benjaman 1
Benjamin 1
Brainerd 1
Eli 1
Emanuel 1
Emmanuel 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Isaac 1
Jesse 1
Jessie 1
Lewis 1
Mark 1
Wm.J. 1

FAQ

Golder surname: questions and answers

How common was the Golder surname in 1881?

In 1881, 819 people were recorded with the Golder surname. That placed it at #4,576 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Golder surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,209 in 2016. That gives Golder a modern rank of #4,920.

What does the Golder surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old French "gaudier" meaning a dyer of yellow or golden fabrics.

What does the Golder map show?

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