NameCensus.

UK surname

Goldwater

A surname derived from a geographical name, possibly referring to a place with golden or yellow-colored water.

In the 1881 census there were 20 people recorded with the Goldwater surname, ranking it #30,738 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 196, ranked #19,848, up from #30,738 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Gateshead, Manchester and Brighton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnet, Allerdale and Northumberland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Goldwater is 196 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 880.0%.

1881 census count

20

Ranked #30,738

Modern count

196

2016, ranked #19,848

Peak year

2016

196 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • • Goldwater had 20 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,738 surname in that year.
  • • The latest modern count shown here is 196 in 2016, ranked #19,848.
  • • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 138 in 1901.
  • • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Map

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Goldwater surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Goldwater surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Goldwater 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 5 #32,456
1861 historical 14 #32,072
1881 historical 20 #30,738
1891 historical 49 #30,349
1901 historical 138 #18,955
1911 historical 136 #18,962
1997 modern 185 #18,506
1998 modern 191 #18,624
1999 modern 181 #19,380
2000 modern 188 #18,916
2001 modern 178 #19,288
2002 modern 179 #19,598
2003 modern 176 #19,623
2004 modern 173 #19,937
2005 modern 172 #19,908
2006 modern 172 #20,073
2007 modern 173 #20,243
2008 modern 167 #20,901
2009 modern 163 #21,715
2010 modern 172 #21,404
2011 modern 178 #20,809
2012 modern 190 #19,864
2013 modern 188 #20,352
2014 modern 194 #20,097
2015 modern 195 #19,909
2016 modern 196 #19,848

Geography

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Where Goldwaters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Gateshead, Manchester, Brighton, Liverpool and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barnet, Allerdale, Northumberland and Bury. 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 Manchester Lancashire
3 Brighton Sussex
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barnet 018 Barnet
2 Barnet 035 Barnet
3 Allerdale 011 Allerdale
4 Northumberland 033 Northumberland
5 Bury 017 Bury

Forenames

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First names often paired with Goldwater

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

Historical female names

Sarah Leah Annie Rachel Jane Dora Fanny Bessie Emma Hilda

Historical male names

Joseph Abraham Harry Morris David Barnett Louis Hyman Harris Israel

Recent female names

Lisa Penelope Lucy Iris Helen Claire Nina Joanne Patricia Deborah

Recent male names

Daniel Adam David Michael Richard Jonathan Andrew Lee Robert Joseph

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Goldwater

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Goldwater surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Goldwater 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Goldwater is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Goldwater is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Goldwater falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Goldwater 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 Goldwater, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Origin

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Meaning and origin of Goldwater

The surname GOLDWATER has its origins in the German language, where it is believed to have emerged in the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century. The name is derived from the German words "gold" and "wasser," which translate to "gold" and "water," respectively. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to individuals who lived near a body of water known for its golden hue or perhaps worked in a profession related to gold mining or refining near a river or stream.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the GOLDWATER surname can be found in the town records of Nuremberg, Germany, where a certain Hans Goldwasser is mentioned in a document dated 1435. It is likely that the spelling of the name evolved over time, with the "wasser" component eventually becoming "water."

In the 16th century, the GOLDWATER name appears in several historical records across various regions of Germany, including Bavaria and Saxony. This indicates that the name had spread to different parts of the country by that time.

One notable individual bearing the GOLDWATER surname was Johann Goldwasser (1529-1602), a German theologian and academic who served as the rector of the University of Leipzig in the late 16th century.

As the name spread beyond Germany, it eventually made its way to other parts of Europe and, later, to the Americas. In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the GOLDWATER name can be found in the 1790 census, where a Michael Goldwater is listed as residing in Pennsylvania.

Perhaps the most famous bearer of the GOLDWATER surname is Barry Goldwater (1909-1998), an American politician and businessman who served as a United States Senator from Arizona and was the Republican Party's nominee for President in the 1964 election.

Other notable individuals with the GOLDWATER surname include:

1. Peggy Goldwater Clay (1924-1997), an American author and the niece of Barry Goldwater. 2. Robert Goldwater (1907-1973), an American art historian and professor at New York University. 3. Walter Goldwater (1886-1967), an American politician who served as the Mayor of St. Louis, Missouri, from 1949 to 1953. 4. Morris Goldwater (1852-1939), an American businessman and philanthropist who founded the Goldwater Department Stores in Arizona.

While the GOLDWATER surname has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to various parts of the world, with bearers of the name making significant contributions in fields such as politics, academia, business, and literature.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Goldwater families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Goldwater 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. Middlesex leads with 12 Goldwaters recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.16x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 12 6.16x
Warwickshire 6 12.21x
Pembrokeshire 1 16.16x
Surrey 1 1.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Mile End New Town London in Middlesex leads with 7 Goldwaters recorded in 1881 and an index of 1842.11x.

Place Total Index
Mile End New Town London 7 1842.11x
Birmingham 6 36.63x
Shoreditch London 4 47.34x
Lambeth 1 5.89x
Spitalfields London 1 68.03x
Tenby St Mary In 1 312.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Amy 1
Annie 1
Dora 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Leah 1
Matilda 1
Rachel 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Barne 1
David 1
Harriss 1
Heain 1
Henry 1
Hyman 1
Ike 1
Isaac 1
Jack 1
Sam 1
Simon 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 Goldwater households.

Occupation Count
Scholar 3
Jeweller 2
Tailor 2
Barrister 1
Clothes Dealer 1
Commercial Traveller 1
Grocer 1
Tailor Machinist 1
Tailoress 1
Watchmaker 1

FAQ

Goldwater surname: questions and answers

How common was the Goldwater surname in 1881?

In 1881, 20 people were recorded with the Goldwater surname. That placed it at #30,738 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Goldwater surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 196 in 2016. That gives Goldwater a modern rank of #19,848.

What does the Goldwater surname mean?

A surname derived from a geographical name, possibly referring to a place with golden or yellow-colored water.

What does the Goldwater map show?

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