NameCensus.

UK surname

Gooding

Derived from the Old English given name Gōda, combined with the patronymic suffix "-ing," meaning "descendant of Gōda."

In the 1881 census there were 2,528 people recorded with the Gooding surname, ranking it #1,767 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,697, ranked #1,847, down from #1,767 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Ipswich St Clement and Warren House. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Devon, King's Lynn and West Norfolk and Mid Suffolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gooding is 3,910 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 46.2%.

1881 census count

2,528

Ranked #1,767

Modern count

3,697

2016, ranked #1,847

Peak year

1999

3,910 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gooding had 2,528 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,767 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,697 in 2016, ranked #1,847.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,671 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Gooding surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gooding surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gooding 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 1,660 #1,733
1861 historical 1,668 #1,717
1881 historical 2,528 #1,767
1891 historical 2,797 #1,689
1901 historical 3,278 #1,700
1911 historical 3,671 #1,424
1997 modern 3,703 #1,749
1998 modern 3,839 #1,760
1999 modern 3,910 #1,740
2000 modern 3,819 #1,769
2001 modern 3,731 #1,768
2002 modern 3,827 #1,772
2003 modern 3,776 #1,761
2004 modern 3,759 #1,762
2005 modern 3,708 #1,763
2006 modern 3,690 #1,773
2007 modern 3,715 #1,775
2008 modern 3,698 #1,792
2009 modern 3,746 #1,816
2010 modern 3,815 #1,826
2011 modern 3,763 #1,825
2012 modern 3,659 #1,841
2013 modern 3,752 #1,827
2014 modern 3,769 #1,833
2015 modern 3,691 #1,852
2016 modern 3,697 #1,847

Geography

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Where Goodings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Ipswich St Clement and Warren House and Debenham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Devon, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Mid Suffolk, Wiltshire and Tendring. 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 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Ipswich St Clement and Warren House Suffolk
5 Debenham Suffolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Devon 013 East Devon
2 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 016 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
3 Mid Suffolk 011 Mid Suffolk
4 Wiltshire 017 Wiltshire
5 Tendring 003 Tendring

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gooding

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gooding

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Gooding is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gooding 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

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

Meaning and origin of Gooding

The surname Gooding originated in England, with roots tracing back to the Anglo-Saxon era. It is derived from the Old English word "goding," which means "good" or "goodly." This name was likely given as a nickname or descriptive term for someone who was considered virtuous or of good character.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Gooding can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name is mentioned in connection with various locations across the country, including Wiltshire, Berkshire, and Oxfordshire.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Gooding evolved into various spellings, such as Goodinge, Goodwyn, and Gooden. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the preferences of local scribes who recorded the names.

Notable individuals with the surname Gooding throughout history include John Gooding (1570-1630), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Dorchester. Another prominent figure was William Gooding (1798-1859), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a vice-admiral.

In the literary realm, the name is associated with John Gooding (1792-1855), an English poet and essayist who wrote several works on religious and moral themes. Additionally, Reginald Gooding (1909-1988) was a renowned British biblical scholar and translator who contributed significantly to the field of biblical studies.

The surname Gooding has also been associated with notable Americans, such as Samuel Gooding (1719-1783), a prominent merchant and patriot during the American Revolutionary War. He was a member of the Massachusetts Provincial Congress and played a significant role in the political and economic affairs of the colony.

These are just a few examples of individuals bearing the surname Gooding who have left their mark on history, spanning various fields and time periods. The name's origins as a descriptive term for someone of good character have endured through the centuries, reflecting the rich linguistic and cultural heritage of England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gooding families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gooding 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. Suffolk leads with 424 Goodings recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.08x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 424 14.08x
Devon 409 7.95x
Middlesex 355 1.44x
Somerset 273 6.86x
Surrey 189 1.57x
Kent 168 1.99x
Essex 77 1.58x
Oxfordshire 60 3.93x
Lincolnshire 53 1.34x
Durham 41 0.56x
Gloucestershire 39 0.80x
Northamptonshire 36 1.55x
Hampshire 32 0.63x
Lancashire 27 0.09x
Bedfordshire 26 2.03x
Monmouthshire 26 1.46x
Sussex 26 0.62x
Norfolk 24 0.63x
Yorkshire 23 0.09x
Berkshire 22 1.19x
Nottinghamshire 22 0.66x
Staffordshire 19 0.23x
Cheshire 15 0.27x
Huntingdonshire 14 2.85x
Warwickshire 13 0.21x
Wiltshire 13 0.59x
Glamorgan 11 0.26x
Lanarkshire 11 0.14x
Buckinghamshire 10 0.67x
Hertfordshire 10 0.59x
Cambridgeshire 9 0.57x
Leicestershire 9 0.33x
Dorset 8 0.49x
Pembrokeshire 8 1.02x
Montgomeryshire 7 1.24x
Aberdeenshire 4 0.17x
Derbyshire 4 0.10x
Westmorland 4 0.74x
Herefordshire 3 0.30x
Radnorshire 3 1.50x
Channel Islands 2 0.27x
Cumberland 1 0.05x
Kincardineshire 1 0.33x
Midlothian 1 0.03x
Northumberland 1 0.03x
Royal Navy 1 0.34x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 60 Goodings recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.50x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 60 2.50x
Lambeth 45 2.09x
Colaton Raleigh 42 661.42x
St Pancras London 37 1.86x
Ipswich St Margaret 34 33.28x
Bethnal Green London 33 3.07x
Debenham 33 330.33x
Ipswich St Clement 31 40.51x
Croydon 27 4.04x
Battersea 25 2.75x
High Bickington 25 428.82x
Tiverton 25 28.21x
West Ham 25 2.32x
Camberwell 24 1.52x
East Budleigh 23 94.88x
Marsh Baldon 22 830.19x
Hackney London 21 1.52x
Ipswich St Helen 21 58.84x
Claydon 19 424.11x
Stanton St John 19 408.60x
Stockton On Tees 19 5.36x
Clerkenwell London 18 3.09x
Halesworth 18 84.31x
Meare 18 150.75x
Ipswich St Mathew 17 20.15x
Sidbury 17 154.27x
Clevedon 16 38.67x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 15 3.29x
Newington 15 1.64x
Nottingham St Mary 15 1.74x
Tormoham 15 6.89x
Tunstall 15 287.91x
Aldeburgh 14 78.56x
Bermondsey 14 1.90x
Brighton 14 1.67x
Greenwich 14 3.56x
Shoreditch London 14 1.31x
St George In East London 14 6.02x
Stow Bardolph 14 123.89x
Barking 13 83.39x
Curry Rivell 13 97.67x
Knodishall 13 343.01x
Plymouth St Andrew 13 3.28x
Barnstaple 12 14.86x
Binbrooke 12 121.83x
Bridgewater 12 11.11x
Mablethorpe 12 221.40x
Minster In Sheppey 12 8.59x
Paddington London 12 1.32x
Dartford 11 12.76x
Gittisham 11 290.24x
Hammersmith London 11 1.81x
Peterborough 11 6.53x
Portsea 11 1.11x
Ramsey 11 171.61x
Silverton 11 102.71x
Timberscombe 11 334.35x
Weston 11 35.95x
Bromley London 10 1.84x
Cheriton Bishop 10 199.20x
Dunkerton 10 116.01x
Hungerford 10 39.84x
Kensington London 10 0.73x
Long Sutton 10 134.95x
Martock 10 38.65x
Mile End Old Town London 10 1.90x
Morebath 10 265.96x
Snape 10 232.56x
Snodland 10 41.82x
St Marylebone London 10 0.76x
Sutton At Hone 10 57.14x
Westminster St John 10 3.32x
Witnesham 10 229.36x
Woodbridge 10 25.98x
Barton St David 9 314.69x
Bristol St James In 9 12.62x
Exeter St Thomas The 9 17.16x
Leicester St Margaret 9 1.35x
Luppitt 9 176.47x
Woodbury 9 58.98x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 154
Elizabeth 90
Sarah 81
Emma 53
Ellen 48
Jane 44
Alice 43
Emily 43
Eliza 41
Ann 39
Annie 37
Caroline 24
Maria 23
Martha 23
Kate 22
Charlotte 21
Edith 19
Harriet 18
Fanny 16
Hannah 16
Louisa 16
Anne 14
Clara 14
Lucy 14
Bessie 13
Susan 12
Ada 11
Amelia 11
Margaret 11
Florence 10
Rose 9
Agnes 7
Amy 7
Ethel 7
Frances 7
Harriett 7
Julia 7
Laura 7
Maud 7
Catherine 6
Gertrude 6
Grace 6
Jessie 6
Eleanor 5
Henrietta 5
Matilda 5
Sophia 5
Susannah 5
Minnie 4
Rachel 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 158
John 131
George 90
James 83
Thomas 75
Charles 62
Henry 57
Alfred 38
Walter 34
Edward 33
Frederick 30
Robert 30
Samuel 29
Arthur 26
Joseph 24
Harry 20
Albert 16
Ernest 14
Herbert 14
Richard 14
Edwin 13
Frank 13
Sidney 9
Thos. 9
Tom 9
Wm. 7
Fredrick 6
Abraham 5
Edgar 5
Amos 4
Benjamin 4
Earnest 4
Ebenezer 4
Edmund 4
Fredk. 4
Leonard 4
Chas. 3
Herman 3
Horace 3
Jas. 3
Oliver 3
Percy 3
Stephen 3
Ambrose 2
Donald 2
Francis 2
Marwood 2
Noah 2
Philip 2
Robt. 2

FAQ

Gooding surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gooding surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,528 people were recorded with the Gooding surname. That placed it at #1,767 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gooding surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,697 in 2016. That gives Gooding a modern rank of #1,847.

What does the Gooding surname mean?

Derived from the Old English given name Gōda, combined with the patronymic suffix "-ing," meaning "descendant of Gōda."

What does the Gooding map show?

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