NameCensus.

UK surname

Gooder

A variant of Goodair, an English occupational surname for a farm worker or shepherd.

In the 1881 census there were 340 people recorded with the Gooder surname, ranking it #8,934 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 213, ranked #18,785, down from #8,934 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Mirfield, Halifax and Birstall. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnsley, Ryedale and Kirklees.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gooder is 458 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 37.4%.

1881 census count

340

Ranked #8,934

Modern count

213

2016, ranked #18,785

Peak year

1911

458 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gooder had 340 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,934 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 213 in 2016, ranked #18,785.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 458 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Gooder surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gooder surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gooder 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 252 #8,733
1861 historical 238 #10,321
1881 historical 340 #8,934
1891 historical 441 #8,197
1901 historical 443 #8,804
1911 historical 458 #8,376
1997 modern 234 #15,939
1998 modern 234 #16,404
1999 modern 231 #16,646
2000 modern 225 #16,891
2001 modern 217 #17,059
2002 modern 224 #17,042
2003 modern 230 #16,549
2004 modern 231 #16,591
2005 modern 214 #17,378
2006 modern 212 #17,612
2007 modern 218 #17,477
2008 modern 218 #17,638
2009 modern 226 #17,587
2010 modern 234 #17,544
2011 modern 221 #18,039
2012 modern 221 #17,979
2013 modern 226 #17,969
2014 modern 228 #17,977
2015 modern 214 #18,712
2016 modern 213 #18,785

Geography

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Where Gooders are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Mirfield, Halifax, Birstall, Thornhill and Batley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barnsley, Ryedale, Kirklees and East Riding of Yorkshire. 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 Mirfield Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Birstall Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Thornhill Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barnsley 028 Barnsley
2 Ryedale 004 Ryedale
3 Barnsley 017 Barnsley
4 Kirklees 024 Kirklees
5 East Riding of Yorkshire 024 East Riding of Yorkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gooder

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gooder

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Gooder, 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 Gooder surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Gooder 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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Gooder is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gooder 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

Gooder falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Gooder

The surname GOODER is believed to have originated in England during the late medieval period, derived from the Old English word "god," meaning good, and the suffix "-er," which denotes someone who performs a certain action or occupation. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who was considered a virtuous or upstanding person within their community.

In its earliest recorded forms, the surname appeared as "Godere" or "Godder" in various historical documents dating back to the 13th century. Some of the earliest known references can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1275, where a John Godere is mentioned. Additionally, the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1279 include the name Robert Godere.

During the 14th century, the surname continued to evolve, with spellings such as "Goodere" and "Godeyr" appearing in various records. One notable example is the mention of a Robert Goodere in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield, Yorkshire, from 1348.

By the 15th century, the surname had taken on its more modern spelling of "GOODER," as evidenced by records from the Pipe Rolls of Shropshire in 1473, which list a William GOODER. Around the same time, the name also appeared in the Feet of Fines for Lincolnshire in 1487, mentioning a John GOODER.

Throughout the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the surname GOODER. One of the earliest was Richard GOODER, born around 1520 in Gloucestershire, who served as a member of the English Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another prominent figure was John GOODER (1601-1672), an English clergyman and author who wrote extensively on religious topics, including a work titled "The Divine Rule of Obedience" published in 1660.

In the 18th century, William GOODER (1717-1794) was a successful merchant and landowner in Oxfordshire, known for his philanthropic efforts and support of local charities.

Moving into the 19th century, Robert GOODER (1826-1892) was a renowned architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Albert Hall and the Langham Hotel.

Finally, one of the more recent individuals with this surname was Edward GOODER (1914-2002), a British author and journalist who served as a war correspondent during World War II and later wrote several acclaimed novels and memoirs.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gooder families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gooder 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. Yorkshire leads with 258 Gooders recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.85x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 258 7.85x
Lancashire 28 0.71x
Middlesex 16 0.48x
Devon 11 1.59x
Monmouthshire 7 2.92x
Cheshire 6 0.82x
Leicestershire 4 1.09x
Sussex 3 0.54x
Norfolk 2 0.39x
Surrey 2 0.12x
Bedfordshire 1 0.58x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.48x
Hampshire 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Rastrick in Yorkshire leads with 53 Gooders recorded in 1881 and an index of 580.50x.

Place Total Index
Rastrick 53 580.50x
Mirfield 38 210.64x
Gomersal 30 195.57x
Thornhill 22 229.41x
Dewsbury 14 41.53x
Hipperholme Cum 13 90.03x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 12 100.50x
Yeadon 10 134.77x
Accrington 9 25.15x
Batley 9 28.82x
Darton 9 267.06x
Horbury 9 156.52x
Northowram 9 39.05x
Paddington London 9 7.38x
Oldham 8 6.30x
Trevethin 7 30.92x
Rothwell 6 90.36x
Barnsley 5 14.75x
Hurdsfield 5 111.11x
Preston 5 4.75x
Cleckheaton 4 33.03x
Newton Abbot St Mary 4 69.08x
Tormoham 4 13.69x
Almondbury 3 18.88x
Barugh 3 107.91x
Leicester St Margaret 3 3.35x
St Pancras London 3 1.12x
Bradford 2 2.51x
Chelsea London 2 2.00x
Cold Waltham 2 444.44x
Lofthouse 2 40.73x
Paignton 2 38.10x
Rotherhithe 2 4.88x
Urswick 2 136.99x
Chatteris 1 18.66x
Cumberworth 1 59.88x
Dartmouth Townstall 1 35.59x
Fareham 1 12.24x
Foxton 1 250.00x
Hackney London 1 0.54x
Halifax 1 2.07x
Horsham 1 9.21x
Huddersfield 1 2.09x
Lancaster 1 4.27x
Liverpool 1 0.42x
Luton 1 3.36x
Manchester 1 0.57x
Meltham 1 19.57x
Mile End New Town London 1 15.27x
Monks Coppenhall 1 3.62x
Rawdon 1 25.84x
Snettisham 1 70.92x
Toxteth Park 1 0.75x
Upwell 1 42.19x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 21
John 14
George 9
Walter 6
Charles 5
Herbert 5
Thomas 5
Frank 4
Harry 4
Henry 4
James 4
Albert 3
David 3
Edwin 3
Fred 3
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Ben 2
Edward 2
Frederick 2
Geo. 2
Isaac 2
Jesse 2
Robert 2
Sidney 2
Uriah 2
Wright 2
Andrew 1
Benjamin 1
Benjn. 1
Clay 1
Clifford 1
Francis 1
Godfrey 1
Hanby 1
Hedley 1
Joe 1
Joseph 1
Joshua 1
Josiah 1
Joss 1
Labin 1
Leonard 1
Louis 1
Luke 1
Mashan 1
Morritt 1
Osborne 1
Reuben 1
Richard 1

FAQ

Gooder surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gooder surname in 1881?

In 1881, 340 people were recorded with the Gooder surname. That placed it at #8,934 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gooder surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 213 in 2016. That gives Gooder a modern rank of #18,785.

What does the Gooder surname mean?

A variant of Goodair, an English occupational surname for a farm worker or shepherd.

What does the Gooder map show?

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