NameCensus.

UK surname

Goodley

An English surname derived from the Old English words "godlīc" meaning goodly or virtuous.

In the 1881 census there were 198 people recorded with the Goodley surname, ranking it #12,922 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 361, ranked #12,841, up from #12,922 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, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include King's Lynn and West Norfolk, North Lincolnshire and Fenland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Goodley is 396 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 82.3%.

1881 census count

198

Ranked #12,922

Modern count

361

2016, ranked #12,841

Peak year

1999

396 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Goodley had 198 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,922 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 361 in 2016, ranked #12,841.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 385 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Goodley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Goodley surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Goodley 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 86 #18,820
1861 historical 125 #17,678
1881 historical 198 #12,922
1891 historical 248 #12,849
1901 historical 295 #11,783
1911 historical 385 #9,551
1997 modern 373 #11,600
1998 modern 383 #11,748
1999 modern 396 #11,527
2000 modern 393 #11,540
2001 modern 379 #11,676
2002 modern 390 #11,646
2003 modern 390 #11,467
2004 modern 393 #11,433
2005 modern 379 #11,662
2006 modern 369 #11,965
2007 modern 377 #11,900
2008 modern 369 #12,210
2009 modern 375 #12,317
2010 modern 381 #12,436
2011 modern 376 #12,416
2012 modern 372 #12,374
2013 modern 372 #12,570
2014 modern 367 #12,801
2015 modern 364 #12,768
2016 modern 361 #12,841

Geography

Back to top

Where Goodleys 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, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes, St Leonard Bromley and Peterborough St John the Baptist. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to King's Lynn and West Norfolk, North Lincolnshire, Fenland, South Holland and Broadland. 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 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Leonard Bromley London (East Districts)
5 Peterborough St John the Baptist Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 016 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
2 North Lincolnshire 001 North Lincolnshire
3 Fenland 004 Fenland
4 South Holland 002 South Holland
5 Broadland 018 Broadland

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Goodley

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Goodley

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Goodley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Goodley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Goodley 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

Goodley is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Goodley falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Goodley

The surname Goodley is of English origin, emerging in the late 13th century. It is derived from the Old English words "gód" meaning good and "leah" meaning a meadow or clearing in a woodland area. The name likely referred to someone who lived in or near a particularly fertile or pleasant meadow.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Goodley can be found in the Gloucestershire Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1327, where a John de Godeley is mentioned. This spelling variation highlights the name's evolution over time. In the 14th century, the name also appeared as Godelay and Godley in various records from Somerset and Devon.

The Goodley name has connections to several place names in England, such as Godley in Greater Manchester, which was recorded as Godeleye in the Domesday Book of 1086. This suggests that the surname may have originated from a specific location before becoming more widespread.

Notable individuals bearing the Goodley surname include Sir Henry Goodley (1572-1638), an English politician who served as Sheriff of Gloucestershire in 1618. Another prominent figure was Richard Goodley (1687-1761), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Somerset, known for his philanthropic efforts in the region.

In the 19th century, Thomas Goodley (1815-1892) was a respected educator and headmaster of Christ's Hospital in London, while William Goodley (1837-1911) was a successful industrialist and founder of the Goodley Iron Works in Birmingham.

The Goodley name also has a literary connection through the works of Charles Dickens, who featured a character named Mrs. Goodley in his novel "The Old Curiosity Shop" published in 1841.

These are just a few examples of the rich history and individuals associated with the surname Goodley, which has its roots firmly planted in the English countryside and has since spread across various regions and professions over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Goodley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Goodley 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. Lincolnshire leads with 36 Goodleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.66x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 36 11.66x
Norfolk 34 11.45x
Cambridgeshire 24 19.62x
Middlesex 24 1.24x
Nottinghamshire 18 6.91x
Northamptonshire 11 6.06x
Warwickshire 9 1.85x
Midlothian 6 2.32x
Leicestershire 5 2.33x
Shropshire 4 2.40x
Suffolk 4 1.70x
Yorkshire 4 0.21x
Ayrshire 3 2.08x
Durham 3 0.52x
Kent 3 0.46x
Sussex 3 0.92x
Essex 2 0.52x
Lancashire 2 0.09x
Bedfordshire 1 1.00x
Staffordshire 1 0.15x
Surrey 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Basford in Nottinghamshire leads with 12 Goodleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 100.00x.

Place Total Index
Basford 12 100.00x
Whittlesey St Mary St 12 281.03x
Peterborough 10 76.05x
Terrington St Clement 10 746.27x
Walsoken 9 502.79x
Aston 8 5.96x
Norwich St John Sepulchre 8 414.51x
Bourn 6 240.96x
Boxworth 6 3529.41x
Elm 6 500.00x
Fulham London 6 21.42x
Grantham 6 149.25x
Radford 6 45.39x
Bromley London 5 11.77x
Edinburgh Canongate 5 75.99x
Hackney London 5 4.62x
Loughborough 5 51.44x
Norwich St Stephen 5 183.15x
Shoreditch London 4 4.78x
Shrewsbury St Julian 4 96.85x
Spittlegate 4 93.68x
Stamford St George 4 287.77x
Ashby Cum Fenby 3 1764.71x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 3 16.83x
Boston 3 32.02x
Dalry 3 44.12x
Gateshead 3 6.97x
Ipswich St Clement 3 50.17x
West Ravendale 3 7500.00x
Yarborough 3 1666.67x
Bury 2 7.64x
Farnborough 2 208.33x
Hammersmith London 2 4.20x
Uffington 2 666.67x
Arundel 1 54.95x
Birmingham 1 0.62x
Broadwater 1 13.39x
Denton 1 277.78x
Deptford St Paul 1 1.97x
Emneth 1 151.52x
Hove 1 7.00x
Lasswade 1 16.89x
Lowestoft 1 9.00x
Market Deeping 1 125.00x
Northampton St Giles 1 14.45x
Sculcoates 1 3.30x
St Luke London 1 3.23x
St Marylebone London 1 0.97x
Walthanstow 1 158.73x
West Ham 1 1.19x
West Walton 1 175.44x
Wimbledon 1 9.46x
Wolverhampton 1 1.99x
Yeldon 1 625.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Elizabeth 7
Eliza 6
Sarah 6
Ann 4
Alice 3
Annie 3
Emma 3
Ada 2
Caroline 2
Catherine 2
Charlotte 2
Edith 2
Emily 2
Hannah 2
Jane 2
Margaret 2
Minnie 2
Pheobe 2
Amy 1
Christiana 1
Easter 1
Ede 1
Ellen 1
Elvina 1
Elza 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Harriett 1
Ilenea 1
Infant 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Lavinia 1
Lily 1
Lucretia 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Mable 1
Margart 1
Martha 1
Maud 1
Sophia 1
Susanah 1
Susannah 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 16
John 12
George 9
Charles 7
Arthur 6
Henry 6
James 6
Thomas 5
Alfred 4
Wm. 4
Fred 3
Joseph 3
Harry 2
Richard 2
Anthony 1
Benjamin 1
Caister 1
Chas. 1
Christopher 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Hugh 1
Lewis 1
Mathew 1
Sidney 1
Tom 1
Wm.R. 1

FAQ

Goodley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Goodley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 198 people were recorded with the Goodley surname. That placed it at #12,922 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Goodley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 361 in 2016. That gives Goodley a modern rank of #12,841.

What does the Goodley surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old English words "godlīc" meaning goodly or virtuous.

What does the Goodley map show?

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