UK surname
An occupational surname referring to a merchant, trader, or dealer of wares.
In the 1881 census there were 66 people recorded with the Goods surname, ranking it #24,256 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 18, ranked #36,832, down from #24,256 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Rugby, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Goods is 341 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 72.7%.
1881 census count
66
Ranked #24,256
Modern count
18
2016, ranked #36,832
Peak year
1861
341 bearers
Map years
4
1851 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Goods surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Goods surname density by area, 1911 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 119 | #15,247 |
| 1861 | historical | 341 | #7,479 |
| 1881 | historical | 66 | #24,256 |
| 1891 | historical | 205 | #14,649 |
| 1901 | historical | 61 | #27,379 |
| 1911 | historical | 253 | #12,776 |
| 1997 | modern | 11 | #36,912 |
| 1998 | modern | 10 | #37,048 |
| 1999 | modern | 12 | #36,806 |
| 2000 | modern | 14 | #36,522 |
| 2001 | modern | 12 | #36,612 |
| 2002 | modern | 9 | #37,051 |
| 2003 | modern | 9 | #37,101 |
| 2004 | modern | 8 | #37,346 |
| 2005 | modern | 6 | #37,724 |
| 2006 | modern | 7 | #37,634 |
| 2007 | modern | 8 | #37,572 |
| 2008 | modern | 9 | #37,473 |
| 2009 | modern | 10 | #37,446 |
| 2010 | modern | 12 | #37,307 |
| 2011 | modern | 16 | #36,932 |
| 2012 | modern | 14 | #37,078 |
| 2013 | modern | 14 | #37,127 |
| 2014 | modern | 15 | #37,070 |
| 2015 | modern | 16 | #36,978 |
| 2016 | modern | 18 | #36,832 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Rugby, London parishes, St Pancras, Sawtry St Andrew, Sawtry All Saints, Sawtry St Judith, Conington and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rugby | Warwickshire |
| 2 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 3 | St Pancras | London (North Districts) |
| 4 | Sawtry St Andrew, Sawtry All Saints, Sawtry St Judith, Conington | Huntingdonshire |
| 5 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Goods surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Goods, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Goods surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Goods household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Goods is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Goods is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Goods, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname GOODS is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages in the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "godes," which referred to goods or possessions. Variations of the spelling included Godes, Goddes, and Goodes.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name GOODS can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275, where a John Godes is listed. This suggests that the name was well-established in the English Midlands region during that time.
The GOODS surname is also found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279, which were ancient census records. This further cements the name's presence in medieval England.
Throughout the 14th and 15th centuries, the GOODS surname appeared in various historical records, such as the Cartulary of Oseney Abbey in Oxfordshire, where a Richard Godes is mentioned in 1349. Additionally, the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire from 1379 list a Johannes Godes.
One notable figure bearing the GOODS surname was Sir Thomas Goods (c. 1540-1609), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Liverpool during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
In the 17th century, the GOODS name gained prominence with the birth of Thomas Goods (1616-1688), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Crostwick in Norfolk.
The 18th century saw the rise of John Goods (1721-1779), a British naval officer and explorer who captained the HMS Pearl and made several voyages to the West Indies and South America.
Moving into the 19th century, a prominent figure was Sir John Goods (1804-1879), a British Army officer who served in the Crimean War and became a Lieutenant General.
Another notable bearer of the GOODS surname was Mary Goods (1857-1932), an English artist known for her landscape paintings and watercolors, particularly those depicting scenes from rural Warwickshire.
These examples demonstrate the long-standing presence of the GOODS surname across various regions of England, with individuals from different walks of life contributing to its historical significance.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Goods surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 26 Goods' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.98x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 26 | 3.98x |
| Kent | 13 | 5.83x |
| Yorkshire | 7 | 1.08x |
| Surrey | 5 | 1.57x |
| Herefordshire | 4 | 14.93x |
| Lanarkshire | 3 | 1.42x |
| Lancashire | 3 | 0.39x |
| Anglesey | 1 | 8.64x |
| Bedfordshire | 1 | 2.96x |
| Essex | 1 | 0.78x |
| Monmouthshire | 1 | 2.12x |
| Royal Navy | 1 | 12.84x |
| Staffordshire | 1 | 0.45x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Deptford St Paul in Kent leads with 11 Goods' recorded in 1881 and an index of 63.95x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Deptford St Paul | 11 | 63.95x |
| All Hallows Staining | 6 | 15000.00x |
| St Pancras London | 6 | 11.41x |
| Barrow In Furness | 3 | 28.44x |
| Bethnal Green London | 3 | 10.57x |
| Blakemere | 3 | 7500.00x |
| Leeds | 3 | 8.20x |
| Old Monkland | 3 | 35.76x |
| Paddington London | 3 | 12.48x |
| Brightside Bierlow | 2 | 15.75x |
| Egham | 2 | 102.56x |
| Lambeth | 2 | 3.51x |
| Mile End New Town London | 2 | 155.04x |
| St Botolph Bishopsgate | 2 | 217.39x |
| Abergavenny | 1 | 56.50x |
| Cannock | 1 | 25.97x |
| Hammersmith London | 1 | 6.21x |
| Harrow | 1 | 100.00x |
| Holyhead | 1 | 46.30x |
| Islington London | 1 | 1.58x |
| Lewisham | 1 | 8.41x |
| Luton | 1 | 17.06x |
| Peterchurch | 1 | 714.29x |
| Putney | 1 | 33.56x |
| Ratcliffe London | 1 | 27.70x |
| Royal Navy | 1 | 15.02x |
| Scarborough | 1 | 17.01x |
| Seal | 1 | 277.78x |
| Sheffield | 1 | 4.85x |
| West Ham | 1 | 3.51x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Goods surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Goods surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Goods households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 9 |
| General Servant | 3 |
| Charwoman | 2 |
| Tailoress (Seamstress) | 2 |
| A B | 1 |
| Carpenter | 1 |
| Coal Porter | 1 |
| Coal Porter (Out Of E | 1 |
| Commercial Clerk | 1 |
| Cook | 1 |
| Decorator | 1 |
| Dress Maker | 1 |
| Engine Driver At Steel Works | 1 |
| Farm Labre | 1 |
| Fruiterer | 1 |
| Furnaceman (Iron) | 1 |
| Gardener | 1 |
| General Domestic | 1 |
| General Labourer | 1 |
| General Servant Boy Male | 1 |
| General Servant Domestic | 1 |
| Hawker | 1 |
| Indoor Servt | 1 |
| Labourer At Steel Works | 1 |
| Labr | 1 |
| Labr Packer | 1 |
| Machinist Straw Hat | 1 |
| Maid | 1 |
| Market Porter | 1 |
| Pensioner Navy | 1 |
| Pupil Teacher | 1 |
| Railway Booking Clerk | 1 |
| Scaffold Builder (Bricklayer) | 1 |
| Scavenger | 1 |
| Serv Domestic | 1 |
| Ships Caulker | 1 |
| Shirt Maker | 1 |
| Warehouseman | 1 |
| Works At Home | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 66 people were recorded with the Goods surname. That placed it at #24,256 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 18 in 2016. That gives Goods a modern rank of #36,832.
An occupational surname referring to a merchant, trader, or dealer of wares.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Goods bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.