UK surname
A habitational surname originating from any of several places named Gole or Gohl.
In the 1881 census there were 17 people recorded with the Gole surname, ranking it #31,170 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 24, ranked #36,392, down from #31,170 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to St Dunstan Stepney, Great Yarmouth and Bainton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gole is 192 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 41.2%.
1881 census count
17
Ranked #31,170
Modern count
24
2016, ranked #36,392
Peak year
1861
192 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Gole surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Gole surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 34 | #27,194 |
| 1861 | historical | 192 | #12,423 |
| 1881 | historical | 17 | #31,170 |
| 1891 | historical | 87 | #25,802 |
| 1901 | historical | 8 | #33,289 |
| 1911 | historical | 36 | #29,370 |
| 1997 | modern | 18 | #36,053 |
| 1998 | modern | 15 | #36,457 |
| 1999 | modern | 11 | #36,917 |
| 2000 | modern | 8 | #37,264 |
| 2001 | modern | 9 | #36,980 |
| 2002 | modern | 11 | #36,780 |
| 2003 | modern | 12 | #36,715 |
| 2004 | modern | 16 | #36,439 |
| 2005 | modern | 13 | #36,833 |
| 2006 | modern | 13 | #36,902 |
| 2007 | modern | 15 | #36,793 |
| 2008 | modern | 16 | #36,766 |
| 2009 | modern | 15 | #36,942 |
| 2010 | modern | 23 | #36,400 |
| 2011 | modern | 13 | #37,191 |
| 2012 | modern | 11 | #37,394 |
| 2013 | modern | 18 | #36,787 |
| 2014 | modern | 19 | #36,740 |
| 2015 | modern | 21 | #36,574 |
| 2016 | modern | 24 | #36,392 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around St Dunstan Stepney, Great Yarmouth, Bainton, St Margaret and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Dunstan Stepney | London (East Districts) |
| 2 | Great Yarmouth | Norfolk |
| 3 | Bainton | Yorkshire, East Riding |
| 4 | St Margaret | Herefordshire |
| 5 | Liverpool | Lancashire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Gole surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Gole, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Gole surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Gole household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Gole is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Gole is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Gole, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname GOLE is believed to have originated in England during the late medieval period, likely deriving from an Old English word meaning "yolk" or "yellow." This suggests that the name may have been initially a descriptive nickname referring to someone with a yellowish complexion or hair color.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name GOLE appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where a Hugo Gole is mentioned as a taxpayer. This indicates that the surname was already established in the West Midlands region of England by the early 14th century.
In the late 15th century, the GOLE surname is found in various records from the county of Somerset, such as the Chancery Proceedings of 1494, which mentions a John Gole. This suggests that the name had spread to other parts of southern England during this time.
The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and their holdings commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname GOLE. However, it does list several place names that may have influenced the development of the surname, such as Gole in Wiltshire and Goldhanger in Essex.
Notable individuals throughout history who bore the surname GOLE include:
1. Richard Gole (c. 1510-1570), an English Protestant clergyman and scholar who served as the Archdeacon of Middlesex. 2. John Gole (fl. 1600), an English merchant and explorer who traveled to the East Indies and authored a journal of his voyages. 3. Edward Gole (1658-1718), an English architect and surveyor best known for his work on the reconstruction of St. Paul's Cathedral in London after the Great Fire of 1666. 4. Mary Gole (1768-1836), an English writer and poet whose collection of poems, "The Rural Muse," was published in 1801. 5. William Gole (1823-1897), a British politician and Member of Parliament for the borough of Stoke-upon-Trent from 1868 to 1880.
While the surname GOLE is not among the most common in England, its historical roots can be traced back to the medieval period, and it has been borne by notable figures in various fields throughout the centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gole surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 11 Goles recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.05x.
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 5 Goles recorded in 1881 and an index of 33.07x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Islington London | 5 | 33.07x |
| Hampstead London | 2 | 82.30x |
| Basing | 1 | 1666.67x |
| Battersea | 1 | 17.42x |
| Boughton Under Blean | 1 | 1111.11x |
| Hackney London | 1 | 11.43x |
| Hendon | 1 | 178.57x |
| Kensington London | 1 | 11.53x |
| Lewtrenchard | 1 | 5000.00x |
| St Pancras London | 1 | 7.96x |
| Stonehouse East | 1 | 625.00x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Gole surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Gole surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Gole households.
FAQ
In 1881, 17 people were recorded with the Gole surname. That placed it at #31,170 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 24 in 2016. That gives Gole a modern rank of #36,392.
A habitational surname originating from any of several places named Gole or Gohl.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Gole bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.