NameCensus.

UK surname

Gooden

An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "good valley" or "good pasture."

In the 1881 census there were 344 people recorded with the Gooden surname, ranking it #8,864 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 817, ranked #6,789, up from #8,864 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Compton Dundon and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bracknell Forest, Birmingham and Blackburn with Darwen.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gooden is 845 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 137.5%.

1881 census count

344

Ranked #8,864

Modern count

817

2016, ranked #6,789

Peak year

2014

845 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gooden had 344 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,864 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 817 in 2016, ranked #6,789.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 519 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Gooden surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gooden surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gooden 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 283 #7,996
1861 historical 370 #6,899
1881 historical 344 #8,864
1891 historical 450 #8,074
1901 historical 415 #9,236
1911 historical 519 #7,618
1997 modern 769 #6,748
1998 modern 800 #6,748
1999 modern 788 #6,880
2000 modern 766 #6,986
2001 modern 755 #6,952
2002 modern 765 #7,011
2003 modern 760 #6,937
2004 modern 757 #6,972
2005 modern 773 #6,792
2006 modern 764 #6,882
2007 modern 787 #6,779
2008 modern 798 #6,757
2009 modern 803 #6,865
2010 modern 839 #6,759
2011 modern 829 #6,743
2012 modern 839 #6,595
2013 modern 843 #6,682
2014 modern 845 #6,687
2015 modern 825 #6,756
2016 modern 817 #6,789

Geography

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Where Goodens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Compton Dundon, Lambeth and Dean. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bracknell Forest, Birmingham, Blackburn with Darwen, South Cambridgeshire and Maldon. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Compton Dundon Somerset
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Dean Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bracknell Forest 011 Bracknell Forest
2 Birmingham 030 Birmingham
3 Blackburn with Darwen 006 Blackburn with Darwen
4 South Cambridgeshire 006 South Cambridgeshire
5 Maldon 008 Maldon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gooden

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gooden

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

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Gooden surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Gooden 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Gooden is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Gooden 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

Gooden falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Gooden

The surname Gooden is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "god" meaning "good" or "virtuous." It likely emerged as a descriptive surname in the Middle Ages, given to individuals who were considered good or virtuous in character or deeds.

The earliest recorded instances of the Gooden surname can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of England, such as Kent, Sussex, and Essex. It is believed that the name may have originally been spelled as "Goden" or "Godden" before evolving into its modern form.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several entries that may be related to the Gooden surname, including "Godwine" and "Godric," which were common names at the time and could have been the precursors to the Gooden name.

One notable historical figure with the Gooden surname was John Gooden (c. 1590-1658), an English Baptist minister and writer who was imprisoned for his religious beliefs during the English Civil War. He wrote several influential works, including "The Doctrine of Baptisms" and "The Christian's Prospective."

Another prominent individual was Sir Samuel Gooden (1688-1751), an English merchant and politician who served as the Governor of the Bank of England from 1741 to 1743. He was also a Member of Parliament for the City of London.

In the 18th century, Thomas Gooden (1718-1789) was a successful English architect who designed several notable buildings, including the Royal Naval College in Portsmouth and the Church of St. Mary the Virgin in Twickenham.

During the 19th century, James Gooden (1818-1895) was a British artist and engraver who specialized in landscape paintings and was elected a member of the Royal Society of British Artists.

Lastly, Dwight Gooden (born 1964), nicknamed "Dr. K," was a American professional baseball player who played for the New York Mets and several other teams in Major League Baseball. He was a four-time All-Star and won the National League Cy Young Award in 1985.

While the Gooden surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Australia, due to migration and immigration patterns over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gooden families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gooden 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. Lancashire leads with 81 Goodens recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.06x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 81 2.06x
Surrey 47 2.91x
Somerset 36 6.74x
Middlesex 34 1.03x
Yorkshire 21 0.64x
Suffolk 17 4.21x
Hampshire 14 2.06x
Cambridgeshire 11 5.24x
Durham 10 1.01x
Essex 10 1.53x
Kent 10 0.88x
Norfolk 7 1.37x
Hertfordshire 6 2.62x
Berkshire 5 2.01x
Sussex 5 0.89x
Wiltshire 4 1.36x
Dumfriesshire 3 4.09x
Northamptonshire 3 0.96x
Worcestershire 3 0.69x
Dorset 2 0.92x
Gloucestershire 2 0.31x
Staffordshire 2 0.18x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.50x
Cheshire 1 0.14x
Cornwall 1 0.27x
Glamorgan 1 0.17x
Northumberland 1 0.20x
Oxfordshire 1 0.49x
Warwickshire 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Compton Dundon in Somerset leads with 20 Goodens recorded in 1881 and an index of 3076.92x.

Place Total Index
Compton Dundon 20 3076.92x
Camberwell 18 8.50x
Clerkenwell London 13 16.60x
Farnworth 13 55.13x
Lambeth 12 4.15x
Great Bolton 11 21.10x
Little Thurlow 10 2564.10x
Salford 10 8.64x
Islington London 9 2.80x
Little Lever 9 178.93x
Balsham 8 695.65x
Blackburn 8 7.64x
Heaton 7 198.30x
Horton In Bradford 7 13.64x
Alverstoke 6 24.38x
Downham Market 6 171.43x
Great Gaddesden 6 560.75x
St Pancras London 6 2.25x
Street 6 207.61x
Whitworth 6 83.10x
Bradford 5 27.14x
Mitcham 5 48.97x
Tonge With Haulgh 5 65.27x
Wakefield 5 19.82x
Walthamstow 5 21.22x
Bramley 4 281.69x
Chigwell 4 64.72x
Kearsley 4 48.31x
Kingston On Thames 4 10.30x
Little Bolton 4 7.91x
Potterne 4 305.34x
Wilby 4 754.72x
Brighton 3 2.66x
Broughton In Salford 3 8.34x
Dumfries 3 41.49x
Kings Norton 3 7.72x
Martock 3 86.46x
Northfleet 3 30.09x
Paston 3 225.56x
Reading St Giles 3 12.29x
Southworth With Croft 3 254.24x
St Marylebone London 3 1.69x
West Hythe 3 1875.00x
Westoe 3 5.36x
Whippingham 3 58.25x
Carlton 2 526.32x
Harrow 2 39.45x
Haughley 2 198.02x
Long Sutton 2 202.02x
Lymington 2 40.00x
Penselwood 2 416.67x
Turton 2 31.06x
Aldershot 1 4.39x
Ash Next Sandwich 1 40.00x
Bridgewater 1 6.90x
Budock 1 35.34x
Clifton 1 3.04x
Doddington 1 151.52x
Ealing 1 3.37x
East Molesey 1 26.67x
Eaton St Andrew 1 70.42x
Frampton 1 208.33x
Frome 1 7.83x
Glastonbury 1 22.94x
Great Budworth 1 76.92x
Havant 1 29.07x
Layton With Warbreck 1 6.93x
Lee 1 6.09x
Leigh 1 43.86x
Llandaff 1 5.21x
Margate St John Baptist 1 4.83x
Midhurst 1 54.64x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 1 3.39x
North Marston 1 135.14x
Oxford St Clement 1 19.34x
Ringsfield 1 312.50x
St Mary Extra 1 18.28x
Stapleton 1 8.10x
Sutton Stoneferry 1 10.64x
Wimbledon 1 5.51x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 14
Mary 14
Sarah 12
Emma 10
Alice 7
Ellen 7
Jane 7
Hannah 6
Ann 5
Martha 5
Annie 4
Emily 4
Janet 4
Margaret 4
Maria 4
Eliza 3
Esther 3
Louisa 3
Anna 2
Caroline 2
Eva 2
Fanny 2
Jessie 2
Rebecca 2
Rose 2
Anne 1
Catherine 1
Celia 1
Christiana 1
Christina 1
Clara 1
Eliz.Agnes 1
Ester 1
Eveline 1
Grace 1
Hanna 1
Harriet 1
Isabella 1
Jesse 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Letitia 1
Lily 1
Lucy 1
Miriam 1
Nancy 1
Nelly 1
Priscella 1
Susham 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 25
William 24
James 20
George 12
Henry 10
Thomas 10
Charles 7
Arthur 6
Edward 4
Robert 4
Benjamin 3
Harry 3
Richard 3
Alfred 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Geo. 2
Jno. 2
Joseph 2
Samuel 2
Abraham 1
Albert 1
Andrew 1
David 1
Elisha 1
Elizabeth 1
Emanuel 1
Emily 1
Frderick 1
Frederic 1
Frederick 1
Freed 1
Hanby 1
Harvey 1
Herb. 1
Jas. 1
Mark 1
Patrick 1
Peter 1
Stephen 1
Sydney 1
Tom 1
Wm. 1
Wm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Gooden surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gooden surname in 1881?

In 1881, 344 people were recorded with the Gooden surname. That placed it at #8,864 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gooden surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 817 in 2016. That gives Gooden a modern rank of #6,789.

What does the Gooden surname mean?

An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "good valley" or "good pasture."

What does the Gooden map show?

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