NameCensus.

UK surname

Goodge

A variant spelling of the English surname Googe, derived from the Old English name Godwig.

In the 1881 census there were 215 people recorded with the Goodge surname, ranking it #12,249 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 296, ranked #14,882, down from #12,249 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lilley, London parishes and Luton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wiltshire, East Cambridgeshire and Blaby.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Goodge is 375 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.7%.

1881 census count

215

Ranked #12,249

Modern count

296

2016, ranked #14,882

Peak year

1998

375 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Goodge had 215 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,249 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 296 in 2016, ranked #14,882.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 365 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Goodge surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Goodge surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Goodge 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 160 #12,347
1861 historical 176 #13,335
1881 historical 215 #12,249
1891 historical 263 #12,261
1901 historical 321 #11,118
1911 historical 365 #9,955
1997 modern 364 #11,827
1998 modern 375 #11,939
1999 modern 372 #12,076
2000 modern 359 #12,333
2001 modern 353 #12,293
2002 modern 357 #12,424
2003 modern 353 #12,345
2004 modern 351 #12,422
2005 modern 333 #12,847
2006 modern 330 #13,021
2007 modern 326 #13,260
2008 modern 318 #13,604
2009 modern 320 #13,796
2010 modern 329 #13,818
2011 modern 314 #14,165
2012 modern 311 #14,173
2013 modern 310 #14,403
2014 modern 307 #14,608
2015 modern 298 #14,832
2016 modern 296 #14,882

Geography

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Where Goodges are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lilley, London parishes, Luton, Littleport, Hilgay (Downham, Norfolk), Southery (Downham, Norfolk) and St Stephen in Brannel. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wiltshire, East Cambridgeshire and Blaby. 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 Lilley Hertfordshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Luton Bedfordshire
4 Littleport, Hilgay (Downham, Norfolk), Southery (Downham, Norfolk) Cambridgeshire
5 St Stephen in Brannel Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wiltshire 041 Wiltshire
2 East Cambridgeshire 003 East Cambridgeshire
3 East Cambridgeshire 005 East Cambridgeshire
4 East Cambridgeshire 001 East Cambridgeshire
5 Blaby 005 Blaby

Forenames

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First names often paired with Goodge

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Goodge

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

Goodge is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Goodge 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 Goodge 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 Goodge, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Goodge

The surname GOODGE originates from England and dates back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "god," meaning good, and "ege," meaning an island or dry ground. This suggests that the name may have referred to someone who lived on a fertile piece of land or a good island.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1198, where a person named Roger Godege is mentioned. This indicates that the name was already in use during the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, including Godege, Godegge, and Godge, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation common at the time. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 list a John Godegge, who was a landowner in Oxfordshire.

The GOODGE surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest was John Goodge (c. 1480-1554), who was a merchant and Member of Parliament for Gloucester during the reign of King Henry VIII.

In the 17th century, Thomas Goodge (1620-1687) was a prominent English clergyman and author who served as the Archdeacon of Buckingham. His work, "The Divine Authority of the Holy Scriptures," published in 1670, was widely read and influential.

Another notable figure was Robert Goodge (1722-1796), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War. He rose to the rank of Captain and was commended for his bravery and leadership.

In the 19th century, Samuel Goodge (1828-1902) was a successful businessman and philanthropist from London. He founded the Goodge Street Trust, which provided housing and education for underprivileged children in the city.

The surname GOODGE has also been linked to various place names, including Goodge Street in London, which was named after the Goodge family who owned land in the area during the 18th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Goodge families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Goodge 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. Hertfordshire leads with 53 Goodges recorded in 1881 and an index of 36.66x.

County Total Index
Hertfordshire 53 36.66x
Middlesex 42 2.00x
Surrey 27 2.64x
Bedfordshire 21 19.34x
Kent 14 1.96x
Cornwall 11 4.63x
Derbyshire 8 2.44x
Yorkshire 8 0.38x
Cambridgeshire 7 5.27x
Norfolk 7 2.17x
Leicestershire 5 2.15x
Sussex 5 1.41x
Hampshire 4 0.93x
Durham 1 0.16x
Northamptonshire 1 0.51x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.35x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Offley in Hertfordshire leads with 24 Goodges recorded in 1881 and an index of 2553.19x.

Place Total Index
Offley 24 2553.19x
Luton 21 111.70x
Lilley 14 3888.89x
Newington 12 15.49x
Bromley 9 82.49x
St Marylebone London 9 8.04x
Claylane 8 175.44x
Paddington London 8 10.37x
Willesden 8 40.47x
Littleport 7 275.59x
Mitcham 7 108.36x
Clapham 6 22.88x
Hatfield 6 204.78x
Holy Trinity 6 12.00x
Lostwithel 6 895.52x
Southery 6 705.88x
Digswell 5 3125.00x
Hammersmith London 5 9.68x
Leicester St Margaret 5 8.82x
Littlehampton 5 177.31x
Deptford St Paul 4 7.25x
South Stoneham 4 42.92x
St Pancras London 4 2.37x
St Blazey 3 144.23x
Bethnal Green London 2 2.20x
St Stephen In Brannel 2 92.17x
Bramcote 1 185.19x
Cheshunt 1 19.80x
Cottingham 1 22.32x
Croydon 1 1.76x
Edgware 1 169.49x
Harrow On The Hill 1 23.87x
Hertingfordbury 1 169.49x
Hilgay 1 82.64x
Kensington London 1 0.86x
Kings Walden 1 121.95x
Lewisham 1 2.62x
Mile End Old Town London 1 2.24x
Peterborough 1 7.00x
Putney 1 10.46x
Skelton In Guisbrough 1 17.79x
Spitalfields London 1 6.34x
St Albans St Peter 1 20.49x
St Luke London 1 2.97x
Waldridge 1 96.15x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 18
George 10
John 9
Thomas 6
Alfred 5
Albert 4
Henry 4
Arthur 3
Harry 3
Samuel 3
Eli 2
Frederick 2
Joseph 2
Leonard 2
A. 1
Abram 1
Charles 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
G.W. 1
Geo. 1
Godfrey 1
Henery 1
Herbert 1
Herbet 1
James 1
Jesse 1
Osckar 1
Philip 1
Robert 1
Robt. 1
Robt.S. 1
Sidney 1
Sydney 1
Walter 1
Willm. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Goodge surname: questions and answers

How common was the Goodge surname in 1881?

In 1881, 215 people were recorded with the Goodge surname. That placed it at #12,249 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Goodge surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 296 in 2016. That gives Goodge a modern rank of #14,882.

What does the Goodge surname mean?

A variant spelling of the English surname Googe, derived from the Old English name Godwig.

What does the Goodge map show?

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