UK surname
An English locative surname likely originating from a place name containing the Old English elements "golde" meaning "yellow" and "by" meaning "a settlement or town".
In the 1881 census there were 64 people recorded with the Golsby surname, ranking it #24,561 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 54, ranked #34,678, down from #24,561 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Chalcombe, London parishes and Ealing, Chiswick. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Golsby is 102 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 15.6%.
1881 census count
64
Ranked #24,561
Modern count
54
2016, ranked #34,678
Peak year
1901
102 bearers
Map years
2
1901 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Golsby surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Golsby surname density by area, 1911 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 | 65 | #21,747 |
| 1861 | historical | 79 | #23,702 |
| 1881 | historical | 64 | #24,561 |
| 1891 | historical | 89 | #25,542 |
| 1901 | historical | 102 | #22,596 |
| 1911 | historical | 102 | #22,465 |
| 1997 | modern | 60 | #31,629 |
| 1998 | modern | 74 | #30,562 |
| 1999 | modern | 73 | #30,856 |
| 2000 | modern | 73 | #30,881 |
| 2001 | modern | 71 | #30,907 |
| 2002 | modern | 67 | #31,723 |
| 2003 | modern | 63 | #32,152 |
| 2004 | modern | 65 | #32,177 |
| 2005 | modern | 67 | #32,196 |
| 2006 | modern | 67 | #32,532 |
| 2007 | modern | 64 | #33,145 |
| 2008 | modern | 65 | #33,303 |
| 2009 | modern | 67 | #33,450 |
| 2010 | modern | 71 | #33,401 |
| 2011 | modern | 65 | #33,842 |
| 2012 | modern | 61 | #34,228 |
| 2013 | modern | 59 | #34,435 |
| 2014 | modern | 57 | #34,556 |
| 2015 | modern | 58 | #34,470 |
| 2016 | modern | 54 | #34,678 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Chalcombe, London parishes, Ealing, Chiswick, Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken and St Albans St Peter and St Stephen. 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 | Chalcombe | Oxfordshire |
| 2 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 3 | Ealing, Chiswick | Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts) |
| 4 | Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken | Warwickshire |
| 5 | St Albans St Peter and St Stephen | Hertfordshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Golsby 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 Golsby, 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 Golsby surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Golsby 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, Golsby 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 Golsby is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Golsby, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Golsby has its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "golde" and "by," which together translate to "golden village" or "golden farmstead."
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1273, which lists a Richard de Goldesbi. This suggests that the name was initially used as a locational surname, referring to someone who hailed from a place called Golsby or a similar variation.
In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Goldesby, Goldsby, and Gouldesbye, reflecting the variations in spelling that were common during that era. The Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1301 and the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Nottinghamshire from 1327 both contain references to individuals bearing the Golsby surname.
A notable early bearer of the name was Sir John Golsby, a English landowner and member of Parliament for Lincolnshire in the 15th century. He was born around 1420 and played a significant role in local politics during his lifetime.
In the 16th century, the Golsby name appeared in various parish records across England, particularly in counties such as Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, and Nottinghamshire. One prominent figure from this period was Robert Golsby, a merchant and alderman in the city of York, who lived from 1535 to 1605.
The 17th century saw the Golsby family establish itself in various parts of England. One notable individual was William Golsby, a wealthy landowner and patron of the arts, who was born in 1623 and lived in Derbyshire. His patronage helped support several prominent artists and writers of the time.
Another significant figure was Reverend Thomas Golsby, a clergyman in the Church of England who lived from 1657 to 1730. He served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Nottinghamshire and was known for his influential sermons and theological writings.
Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, the Golsby surname continued to be found across various parts of England, with some members of the family migrating to other parts of the British Isles and even further afield to the colonies.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Golsby 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. Northamptonshire leads with 23 Golsbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 39.17x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Northamptonshire | 23 | 39.17x |
| Staffordshire | 15 | 7.12x |
| Hertfordshire | 10 | 23.24x |
| Warwickshire | 8 | 5.08x |
| Middlesex | 3 | 0.48x |
| Cheshire | 2 | 1.45x |
| Essex | 1 | 0.81x |
| Somerset | 1 | 1.00x |
| Worcestershire | 1 | 1.23x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Marston St Lawrence in Northamptonshire leads with 10 Golsbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 12500.00x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Marston St Lawrence | 10 | 12500.00x |
| St Albans St Peter | 10 | 689.66x |
| Chalcombe | 8 | 8000.00x |
| Stoneleigh | 6 | 2307.69x |
| Handsworth | 5 | 96.34x |
| Sedgley | 5 | 63.86x |
| Wolverhampton | 5 | 30.86x |
| Dallington | 3 | 857.14x |
| Chiswick | 2 | 58.65x |
| Monks Coppenhall | 2 | 38.46x |
| Stean | 2 | 20000.00x |
| Evenlode | 1 | 1666.67x |
| North Perrott | 1 | 1428.57x |
| Sutton Coldfield | 1 | 60.61x |
| West Ham | 1 | 3.68x |
| Westminster St Margaret | 1 | 33.22x |
| Wroxhall | 1 | 2500.00x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Golsby 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 Golsby 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 Golsby households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 9 |
| Farm Labourer | 5 |
| Carpenter | 4 |
| Labourer | 3 |
| Carpenters Wife | 2 |
| Dress Maker | 2 |
| Ag Lab | 1 |
| Agricultural Labourer | 1 |
| Barmaid | 1 |
| Cook Dom Serv | 1 |
| Factory Worker | 1 |
| Fitter (E & M) | 1 |
| House Plumber | 1 |
| Infant | 1 |
| Journeyman Wheelwright | 1 |
| Labourer Wife | 1 |
| Ladys Md Dom Serv | 1 |
| Laundrymaid (Dom) | 1 |
| Lawyer | 1 |
| Midwife | 1 |
| No Occupation Ag Labs Widow | 1 |
| None | 1 |
| Nurse (Not Dom) | 1 |
| Railway Pointsman | 1 |
| Sawyer | 1 |
| Servant | 1 |
| Under Housemaid | 1 |
| Wife | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 64 people were recorded with the Golsby surname. That placed it at #24,561 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 54 in 2016. That gives Golsby a modern rank of #34,678.
An English locative surname likely originating from a place name containing the Old English elements "golde" meaning "yellow" and "by" meaning "a settlement or town".
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Golsby 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.