NameCensus.

UK surname

Goodsell

An English occupational surname referring to a messenger or courier of goods.

In the 1881 census there were 482 people recorded with the Goodsell surname, ranking it #6,956 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 756, ranked #7,240, down from #6,956 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ewhurst, Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew and Tunbridge, Bidborough. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rother, Hastings and Tunbridge Wells.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Goodsell is 828 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 56.8%.

1881 census count

482

Ranked #6,956

Modern count

756

2016, ranked #7,240

Peak year

2002

828 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Goodsell had 482 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,956 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 756 in 2016, ranked #7,240.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 796 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Goodsell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Goodsell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Goodsell 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 183 #11,166
1861 historical 238 #10,321
1881 historical 482 #6,956
1891 historical 543 #6,951
1901 historical 719 #6,142
1911 historical 796 #5,492
1997 modern 796 #6,559
1998 modern 827 #6,585
1999 modern 827 #6,626
2000 modern 820 #6,639
2001 modern 812 #6,567
2002 modern 828 #6,593
2003 modern 791 #6,710
2004 modern 795 #6,703
2005 modern 744 #7,006
2006 modern 736 #7,092
2007 modern 756 #7,009
2008 modern 766 #6,986
2009 modern 797 #6,912
2010 modern 802 #7,014
2011 modern 802 #6,935
2012 modern 790 #6,911
2013 modern 772 #7,178
2014 modern 773 #7,190
2015 modern 773 #7,134
2016 modern 756 #7,240

Geography

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Where Goodsells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ewhurst, Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew, Tunbridge, Bidborough, London parishes and Salehurst. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rother, Hastings and Tunbridge Wells. 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 Ewhurst Sussex
2 Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew Sussex
3 Tunbridge, Bidborough Kent
4 London parishes London 3
5 Salehurst Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rother 005 Rother
2 Rother 001 Rother
3 Hastings 001 Hastings
4 Rother 002 Rother
5 Tunbridge Wells 014 Tunbridge Wells

Forenames

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First names often paired with Goodsell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Goodsell

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Goodsell is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Goodsell is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Goodsell

The surname Goodsell is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name, referring to someone who lived near a good or prosperous sell, which was an old English word for a shelter or dwelling. The name may have evolved from various spellings such as Godeshale, Godeshill, or Godshull, which were common in areas like Berkshire and Hampshire.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Goodsell can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Buckinghamshire in 1176, where a Richard de Godeshulle is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already well-established by the late 12th century.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholdings in England compiled in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the name Goodsell. However, it does list several places with similar names, such as Godeshull in Somerset and Godshille in Wiltshire, which may have been associated with the origins of the surname.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name Goodsell appeared in various forms in historical records across southern England. For instance, a William Godeshull is mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1285, while a John Godshyll is recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1332.

One notable individual bearing the name Goodsell was Sir Henry Goodsell (1580-1658), a wealthy merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers in London. He served as Lord Mayor of London in 1635 and was knighted by King Charles I.

Another prominent figure was Reverend Thomas Goodsell (1690-1767), an Anglican clergyman who served as the vicar of Wrotham in Kent. He was also a respected scholar and author, publishing several theological works during his lifetime.

In the 18th century, John Goodsell (1730-1805) became a successful entrepreneur and businessman in Bristol, where he established a prosperous trading company dealing in textiles and other goods.

During the 19th century, the name Goodsell began to spread more widely across England and into other parts of the British Isles. One notable bearer was Emily Goodsell (1835-1912), a pioneering philanthropist and social reformer who founded several charitable organizations in London aimed at improving the lives of the poor and underprivileged.

Finally, mention should be made of Sir Charles Goodsell (1875-1950), a prominent British civil servant and diplomat who served as Ambassador to Turkey from 1920 to 1926 and later became a member of the Privy Council.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Goodsell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Goodsell 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. Sussex leads with 290 Goodsells recorded in 1881 and an index of 36.51x.

County Total Index
Sussex 290 36.51x
Kent 119 7.40x
Surrey 33 1.44x
Middlesex 20 0.42x
Essex 6 0.65x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.63x
Devon 3 0.31x
Durham 3 0.21x
Yorkshire 3 0.06x
Hampshire 1 0.10x
Royal Navy 1 1.78x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ewhurst in Sussex leads with 67 Goodsells recorded in 1881 and an index of 3806.82x.

Place Total Index
Ewhurst 67 3806.82x
Battle 22 410.45x
Salehurst 22 639.53x
Bodiam 18 3461.54x
Tonbridge 14 24.15x
Whatlington 13 2131.15x
Biddenden 12 545.45x
Hastings St Mary In The 12 70.80x
Maidstone 12 25.06x
Rye 12 158.94x
Cranbrook 10 146.84x
Eastbourne 10 27.36x
Chilham 9 393.01x
East Guildford 9 3103.45x
Goudhurst 9 202.25x
Northiam 9 461.54x
Wonersh 9 314.69x
Burwash 8 216.80x
Hastings All Sts 8 106.81x
Hollington 8 282.69x
Mountfield 8 800.00x
Ore 8 135.36x
Penge 8 26.58x
Brede 7 421.69x
Hastings St Mary 7 35.41x
Bexhill 6 151.52x
Dallington 6 697.67x
Hammersmith London 6 5.17x
Hastings Holy Trinity 6 102.56x
Lamberhurst 6 300.00x
Rolvenden 6 288.46x
Gravesend 5 36.74x
Pembury 5 219.30x
Woodchurch 5 250.00x
Camberwell 4 1.33x
Frindsbury 4 66.01x
Rotherhithe 4 6.87x
Wilford 4 223.46x
Beckley 3 150.75x
Bermondsey 3 2.14x
Brighton 3 1.87x
East Farleigh 3 111.11x
East Tilbury 3 461.54x
Fairlight 3 384.62x
Hastings St Leonards 3 25.68x
Islington London 3 0.66x
Leeds 3 1.14x
Leyton Low 3 15.86x
Stoke Damerel 3 4.37x
Westoe 3 3.78x
Bexley 2 14.07x
Bromley 2 8.16x
Edmonton 2 5.27x
Faversham 2 13.05x
Godalming 2 13.84x
Hastings St Clement 2 26.74x
Hougham 2 20.92x
Keston 2 166.67x
Lambeth 2 0.49x
Milton In Gravesend 2 8.30x
Singleton 2 222.22x
St Andrew Holborn London 2 9.80x
St Mary Le Strand London 2 116.28x
Westerham 2 53.91x
Westfield 2 117.65x
Barming 1 90.91x
Frittenden 1 66.67x
Great Chart 1 83.33x
Greenwich 1 1.33x
Lewisham 1 1.17x
Millbrook 1 4.11x
Northfleet 1 7.06x
Poplar London 1 1.12x
Royal Navy 1 2.08x
Sandhurst 1 52.91x
St Luke London 1 1.32x
Tenterden 1 17.64x
Twickenham 1 4.95x
Westminster St Margaret 1 4.40x
Wittersham 1 69.93x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 40
James 22
Thomas 18
Henry 17
John 15
Samuel 12
George 10
Arthur 9
Frederick 9
Albert 8
Richard 7
Edward 5
Joseph 5
Stephen 5
Walter 5
Alfred 4
Charles 4
Harry 4
Edmund 3
Robert 3
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Jesse 2
Spencer 2
Bertie 1
Caleb 1
Carlos 1
Charlie 1
Fisher 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.Geo. 1
Godfrey 1
Horace 1
Isaac 1
Niah 1
Patrick 1
Raymond 1
Reginald 1
Sam 1
Thos. 1
Urban 1

FAQ

Goodsell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Goodsell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 482 people were recorded with the Goodsell surname. That placed it at #6,956 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Goodsell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 756 in 2016. That gives Goodsell a modern rank of #7,240.

What does the Goodsell surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a messenger or courier of goods.

What does the Goodsell map show?

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