NameCensus.

UK surname

Gooch

An English occupational surname for a maker of gooch, a type of leather or cloth bag.

In the 1881 census there were 2,622 people recorded with the Gooch surname, ranking it #1,694 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,763, ranked #1,801, down from #1,694 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju, London parishes and St John Hackney. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Waveney.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gooch is 4,196 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 43.5%.

1881 census count

2,622

Ranked #1,694

Modern count

3,763

2016, ranked #1,801

Peak year

1999

4,196 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gooch had 2,622 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,694 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,763 in 2016, ranked #1,801.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,534 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Gooch surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gooch surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gooch 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 1,860 #1,554
1861 historical 1,517 #1,862
1881 historical 2,622 #1,694
1891 historical 2,588 #1,836
1901 historical 3,308 #1,690
1911 historical 3,534 #1,480
1997 modern 4,046 #1,598
1998 modern 4,142 #1,631
1999 modern 4,196 #1,623
2000 modern 4,111 #1,651
2001 modern 4,045 #1,637
2002 modern 4,122 #1,645
2003 modern 3,980 #1,660
2004 modern 3,973 #1,665
2005 modern 3,860 #1,690
2006 modern 3,855 #1,698
2007 modern 3,834 #1,720
2008 modern 3,847 #1,728
2009 modern 3,908 #1,738
2010 modern 3,973 #1,751
2011 modern 3,947 #1,732
2012 modern 3,823 #1,753
2013 modern 3,896 #1,757
2014 modern 3,845 #1,788
2015 modern 3,828 #1,775
2016 modern 3,763 #1,801

Geography

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Where Goochs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju, London parishes, St John Hackney and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Waveney. 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 St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju Norfolk
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St John Hackney London (North Districts)
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Waveney 004 Waveney
2 Waveney 005 Waveney
3 Waveney 009 Waveney
4 Waveney 001 Waveney
5 Waveney 002 Waveney

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gooch

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gooch

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Gooch surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Gooch 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Gooch is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gooch 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

Gooch falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Gooch

The surname Gooch is believed to have originated in England, with the earliest known records dating back to the late 12th century. One theory suggests that the name is derived from the Old English word "gog," meaning "mass" or "lump," potentially referring to a physical characteristic or location.

Another hypothesis traces the name's roots to the Old French word "gouche," meaning "left-handed" or "awkward." This could indicate that the name was initially used as a descriptive nickname for someone with a perceived physical trait or characteristic. The spelling variations "Goche," "Goch," and "Gocche" can be found in historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries.

In the Domesday Book, a survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, there are references to individuals with similar names, such as "Goce" and "Gocelin." These entries suggest that the name or its variants were present in the region during the Norman conquest.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Gooch can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a Richard Goche is mentioned. Another notable early bearer of the name was Sir Robert Gooch (1384-1451), a prominent English landowner and member of Parliament during the 15th century.

Throughout history, several noteworthy individuals have carried the Gooch surname. These include Sir William Gooch (1681-1751), a British colonial governor of Virginia, and Daniel Whitehead Gooch (1816-1889), an American businessman and politician who served as a U.S. Senator from Massachusetts.

Other notable bearers of the name include Sir Daniel Gooch (1816-1889), a British engineer and locomotive designer, and Frank Gooch (1887-1968), an American baseball player who competed in the major leagues from 1911 to 1918.

Additionally, the surname Gooch has been associated with various place names in England, such as Gooch's Mill in Hertfordshire and Gooch's Farm in Norfolk, further reinforcing the name's long-standing presence in the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gooch families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gooch 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. Norfolk leads with 571 Goochs recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.50x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 571 14.50x
Suffolk 555 17.79x
Middlesex 487 1.90x
Essex 243 4.81x
Surrey 184 1.47x
Kent 110 1.26x
Lancashire 76 0.25x
Yorkshire 44 0.17x
Warwickshire 41 0.63x
Durham 32 0.42x
Hertfordshire 32 1.81x
Hampshire 24 0.46x
Lincolnshire 24 0.59x
Gloucestershire 23 0.46x
Cheshire 21 0.37x
Sussex 18 0.42x
Somerset 15 0.36x
Devon 13 0.24x
Bedfordshire 12 0.90x
Cambridgeshire 12 0.74x
Glamorgan 10 0.22x
Worcestershire 9 0.27x
Cornwall 8 0.28x
Derbyshire 8 0.20x
Nottinghamshire 7 0.20x
Berkshire 6 0.31x
Buckinghamshire 6 0.39x
Northamptonshire 5 0.21x
Monmouthshire 4 0.22x
Royal Navy 4 1.31x
Staffordshire 4 0.05x
Huntingdonshire 3 0.59x
Northumberland 3 0.08x
Oxfordshire 3 0.19x
Brecknockshire 2 0.39x
Midlothian 2 0.06x
Renfrewshire 2 0.10x
Anglesey 1 0.22x
Dorset 1 0.06x
Leicestershire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hackney London in Middlesex leads with 54 Goochs recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.76x.

Place Total Index
Hackney London 54 3.76x
Islington London 49 1.97x
West Ham 47 4.21x
Lambeth 42 1.88x
St Marylebone London 42 3.07x
Wymondham 41 101.81x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 40 68.31x
Great Yarmouth 38 11.65x
Kensington London 34 2.39x
St Pancras London 34 1.65x
Carlton Colville 33 288.46x
Lewisham 32 6.87x
Bromley London 31 5.50x
Camberwell 31 1.89x
Bury St Edmunds St James 30 36.00x
Lowestoft 30 20.35x
Wix 29 532.11x
Thetford St Cuthbert 27 189.61x
Norwich St Julian 26 156.72x
Hitcham 25 317.66x
Birmingham 24 1.11x
Greenwich 22 5.39x
Paddington London 21 2.23x
Southwark St George Martyr 20 3.88x
Woodton 20 477.33x
Mile End Old Town London 19 3.48x
Shoreditch London 19 1.71x
Battersea 18 1.91x
St George Hanover Square 17 3.77x
Stoke Newington London 17 8.52x
Caston 16 335.43x
Heigham 16 7.57x
Hornchurch 16 64.54x
Norwich St Clement 16 35.04x
Thetford St Peter 16 154.44x
Gorleston 15 18.92x
Horringer 15 258.62x
Cockfield 14 171.15x
Mildenhall 14 42.23x
Tendring 14 188.17x
Tottenham 14 3.43x
Aston 13 0.73x
Hammersmith London 13 2.06x
Norwich St Stephen 13 35.96x
Weston Longville 13 361.11x
Chelsea London 12 1.55x
Chevington 12 245.90x
Deptford St Paul 12 1.78x
Hethel 12 916.03x
Hulme 12 1.89x
Portsea 12 1.17x
Beccles 11 21.90x
Bethnal Green London 11 0.99x
Bishopwearmouth 11 1.68x
Great Oakley 11 135.97x
Hempnall 11 142.30x
Leeds 11 0.77x
Newent 11 43.09x
North Lopham 11 179.15x
Rockland St Peter 11 493.27x
Ardwick 10 3.65x
Framlingham 10 45.15x
Fulham London 10 2.69x
Great Totham 10 152.21x
Minster In Sheppey 10 6.91x
Norwich St Peter Mancroft 10 50.58x
Openshaw 10 7.02x
Rattlesden 10 109.53x
St Luke London 10 2.43x
Exeter St Thomas The 9 16.56x
Henley On Thames 9 412.84x
Mettingham 9 283.02x
Rotherhithe 9 2.84x
St Andrewthe Less 9 4.86x
Swefling 9 354.33x
Whitton 9 162.75x
Wiveton 9 559.01x
Brightlingsea 8 27.69x
Cavenham 8 490.80x
St Paul Covent Garden 8 31.21x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 126
Sarah 103
Elizabeth 81
Emma 54
Eliza 51
Alice 49
Ellen 44
Hannah 40
Emily 39
Jane 34
Harriet 31
Maria 31
Ann 28
Charlotte 28
Annie 26
Martha 22
Caroline 20
Louisa 19
Edith 18
Susan 18
Amelia 17
Harriett 17
Matilda 14
Margaret 13
Agnes 12
Florence 12
Rebecca 11
Rose 10
Catherine 9
Rosa 9
Sophia 9
Susannah 9
Clara 8
Ada 7
Anna 7
Eleanor 7
Jessie 7
Kate 7
Laura 7
Lucy 7
Amy 6
Anne 6
Esther 6
Gertrude 6
Ethel 5
Frances 5
Lillian 5
Maud 5
Lydia 4
Mabel 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 136
John 124
George 116
James 72
Robert 67
Charles 60
Thomas 57
Henry 56
Alfred 45
Arthur 45
Walter 41
Edward 35
Frederick 34
Joseph 25
Samuel 25
Harry 21
Herbert 16
Albert 14
Daniel 12
Ernest 11
Fredk. 11
Frank 10
Benjamin 8
Horace 7
Richard 7
Edmund 6
Frederic 6
Stephen 6
David 5
Isaac 5
Mark 5
Edwin 4
Francis 4
Fred 4
Jonathan 4
Leonard 4
Thos. 4
Willie 4
Wm. 4
Edgar 3
Edwd. 3
Elijah 3
Fredrick 3
Percy 3
Sidney 3
Nathan 2
Peter 2
Philip 2
Richd. 2
Zechariah 2

FAQ

Gooch surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gooch surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,622 people were recorded with the Gooch surname. That placed it at #1,694 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gooch surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,763 in 2016. That gives Gooch a modern rank of #1,801.

What does the Gooch surname mean?

An English occupational surname for a maker of gooch, a type of leather or cloth bag.

What does the Gooch map show?

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