NameCensus.

UK surname

Golec

A surname derived from the Polish word "golec" meaning bare or barren.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wakefield, Cranhill, Lightburn and Queenslie South and East Riding of Yorkshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Golec is 141 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

141

2016, ranked #24,753

Peak year

2016

141 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 141 in 2016, ranked #24,753.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Golec surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Golec surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Golec 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
1861 historical 1 #34,435
1997 modern 34 #34,282
1998 modern 36 #34,246
1999 modern 35 #34,418
2000 modern 40 #33,976
2001 modern 35 #34,261
2002 modern 33 #34,717
2003 modern 40 #34,215
2004 modern 41 #34,306
2005 modern 62 #32,708
2006 modern 78 #31,385
2007 modern 84 #31,067
2008 modern 90 #30,567
2009 modern 96 #30,239
2010 modern 98 #30,540
2011 modern 101 #29,938
2012 modern 116 #27,550
2013 modern 127 #26,452
2014 modern 133 #25,851
2015 modern 130 #26,093
2016 modern 141 #24,753

Geography

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Where Golecs 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 Wakefield, Cranhill, Lightburn and Queenslie South, East Riding of Yorkshire, Windsor and Maidenhead and Darlington. 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 Wakefield 039 Wakefield
2 Cranhill, Lightburn and Queenslie South Glasgow City
3 East Riding of Yorkshire 005 East Riding of Yorkshire
4 Windsor and Maidenhead 012 Windsor and Maidenhead
5 Darlington 004 Darlington

Forenames

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First names often paired with Golec

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Golec

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Golec surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Golec household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Golec 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

Golec 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

Golec 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 Golec is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Golec

The surname Golec originated in Poland and can be traced back to the early medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Polish word "golec," meaning "bare, bald, or treeless." This surname was likely initially given as a descriptive nickname to someone who lived in a treeless or barren area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Golec can be found in the 14th-century records of the town of Krakow, where a certain Jan Golec was mentioned as a resident. The name also appeared in various other historical documents from different regions of Poland throughout the centuries.

In the 16th century, the Golec surname was present in the village of Golec, located in the Tarnów County of the Małopolska region. It is possible that the surname may have originated from this particular place name, or that the village itself was named after an early bearer of the Golec surname.

Notable individuals with the Golec surname include Andrzej Golec (1523-1591), a Polish Catholic priest and theologian who served as the rector of the Jagiellonian University in Krakow. Another prominent figure was Franciszek Golec (1785-1853), a Polish painter and etcher known for his landscape and genre works.

In the 20th century, Kazimierz Golec (1902-1989) was a Polish military officer who served in World War II and later became a general in the Polish People's Army. Janusz Golec (1946-2021) was a renowned Polish actor and theater director, best known for his roles in films such as "Nights and Days" and "The Deluge."

The surname Golec is still relatively common in Poland today, with many bearers of the name residing in various regions of the country, particularly in the southern and central areas where it originated.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Golec surname: questions and answers

How common is the Golec surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 141 in 2016. That gives Golec a modern rank of #24,753.

What does the Golec surname mean?

A surname derived from the Polish word "golec" meaning bare or barren.

What does the Golec map show?

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