NameCensus.

UK surname

Goldsbury

An English locational surname derived from the combination of ancient English elements referring to a location near a golden wood or clearing.

In the 1881 census there were 44 people recorded with the Goldsbury surname, ranking it #27,447 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 107, ranked #29,762, down from #27,447 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, East Staffordshire and Darlington.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Goldsbury is 113 in 2004. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 143.2%.

1881 census count

44

Ranked #27,447

Modern count

107

2016, ranked #29,762

Peak year

2004

113 bearers

Map years

2

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Goldsbury had 44 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,447 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 107 in 2016, ranked #29,762.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 94 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Goldsbury surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Goldsbury surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Goldsbury 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 50 #24,274
1861 historical 56 #26,864
1881 historical 44 #27,447
1891 historical 71 #27,934
1901 historical 73 #26,069
1911 historical 94 #23,391
1997 modern 105 #26,188
1998 modern 105 #26,822
1999 modern 109 #26,439
2000 modern 103 #27,280
2001 modern 93 #28,382
2002 modern 107 #26,849
2003 modern 106 #26,775
2004 modern 113 #25,999
2005 modern 97 #28,485
2006 modern 96 #28,946
2007 modern 99 #28,852
2008 modern 101 #28,825
2009 modern 105 #28,815
2010 modern 104 #29,618
2011 modern 106 #29,157
2012 modern 106 #29,187
2013 modern 111 #28,856
2014 modern 113 #28,779
2015 modern 108 #29,512
2016 modern 107 #29,762

Geography

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Where Goldsburys 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 Northumberland, East Staffordshire, Darlington and Nottingham. 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 Northumberland 009 Northumberland
2 East Staffordshire 007 East Staffordshire
3 Darlington 008 Darlington
4 Darlington 004 Darlington
5 Nottingham 040 Nottingham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Goldsbury

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Goldsbury

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Goldsbury is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Goldsbury is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Goldsbury

The surname Goldsbury originated in England during the late medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the Old English words "golde" meaning "golden" and "burgh" meaning "fortified town or manor." This suggests that the name may have referred to someone who lived in a golden-colored or wealthy town or manor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Goldsbury can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1236, where a person named Roger de Goldesbyri is mentioned. This spelling variation demonstrates the evolution of the name over time.

In the 14th century, the name appears in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield, Yorkshire, where a certain William de Goldisburi is recorded in 1348. This entry highlights the regional variations in the spelling and pronunciation of the name.

During the 16th century, the surname Goldsbury was associated with several notable individuals. William Goldsbury (1551-1618) was a English clergyman and scholar who served as the Bishop of Gloucester from 1598 until his death. His contemporary, John Goldsbury (1570-1636), was a prominent lawyer and legal writer who published works on English common law.

In the 17th century, the name Goldsbury gained further prominence with the birth of Sir Edward Goldsbury (1609-1686), a renowned English politician and Member of Parliament for the City of London. He played a significant role in the political turmoil of the English Civil War and the Restoration period.

Another notable figure bearing the surname Goldsbury was Elizabeth Goldsbury (1718-1792), an English writer and poet who published several works during the mid-18th century. Her collection of poems, titled "The Muse's Bower," was widely acclaimed and contributed to the literary landscape of the time.

Throughout history, the surname Goldsbury has been associated with various locations and place names, including Goldsborough in Yorkshire, which may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the name in certain regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Goldsbury families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Goldsbury 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. Nottinghamshire leads with 9 Goldsburys recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.56x.

County Total Index
Nottinghamshire 9 15.56x
Lancashire 6 1.18x
Worcestershire 6 10.71x
Warwickshire 5 4.62x
Middlesex 4 0.93x
Suffolk 3 5.74x
Surrey 3 1.43x
Yorkshire 3 0.71x
Kent 2 1.37x
Buckinghamshire 1 3.85x
Derbyshire 1 1.49x
Staffordshire 1 0.69x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Nottingham St Mary in Nottinghamshire leads with 7 Goldsburys recorded in 1881 and an index of 46.79x.

Place Total Index
Nottingham St Mary 7 46.79x
Little Bolton 6 91.60x
Aston 5 16.78x
Martin Hussingtree 4 20000.00x
Droitwich St Peter 2 1538.46x
Handsworth 2 178.57x
Islington London 2 4.81x
Nottingham St Peter 2 312.50x
Richmond 2 68.26x
Stow Upland 2 1176.47x
Burton Upon Trent 1 29.50x
Deptford St Paul 1 8.86x
Derby St Werburgh 1 25.77x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 11.56x
Ipswich St Lawrence 1 1428.57x
Lambeth 1 2.67x
Minster In Sheppey 1 41.15x
St Gregory By St Pauls 1 909.09x
St Marylebone London 1 4.36x
Upton Cum Chalvey 1 97.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 3
Emily 3
Agnes 2
Ann 2
Ellen 2
Maria 2
Mary 2
Bridget 1
Caroline 1
Eliza 1
Frances 1
Harriet 1
Liley 1
Lily 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 3
William 3
Edmund 2
George 2
Andrew 1
Charles 1
Ernest 1
Frederick 1
James 1
Joseph 1
Kenlos 1
Owen 1
Phillip 1
Reginald 1
Thomas 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 Goldsbury households.

FAQ

Goldsbury surname: questions and answers

How common was the Goldsbury surname in 1881?

In 1881, 44 people were recorded with the Goldsbury surname. That placed it at #27,447 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Goldsbury surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 107 in 2016. That gives Goldsbury a modern rank of #29,762.

What does the Goldsbury surname mean?

An English locational surname derived from the combination of ancient English elements referring to a location near a golden wood or clearing.

What does the Goldsbury map show?

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