NameCensus.

UK surname

Goodson

A patronymic surname meaning "son of Goode," referring to a person who was good, kind, or virtuous.

In the 1881 census there were 1,490 people recorded with the Goodson surname, ranking it #2,808 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,636, ranked #3,804, down from #2,808 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, King's Lynn St Margaret and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Melton and South Kesteven.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Goodson is 2,003 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 9.8%.

1881 census count

1,490

Ranked #2,808

Modern count

1,636

2016, ranked #3,804

Peak year

1911

2,003 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Goodson had 1,490 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,808 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,636 in 2016, ranked #3,804.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,003 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Goodson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Goodson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Goodson 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 1,083 #2,594
1861 historical 1,310 #2,179
1881 historical 1,490 #2,808
1891 historical 1,625 #2,755
1901 historical 1,837 #2,861
1911 historical 2,003 #2,482
1997 modern 1,754 #3,408
1998 modern 1,829 #3,407
1999 modern 1,850 #3,396
2000 modern 1,807 #3,450
2001 modern 1,740 #3,492
2002 modern 1,776 #3,511
2003 modern 1,755 #3,475
2004 modern 1,730 #3,517
2005 modern 1,682 #3,574
2006 modern 1,698 #3,548
2007 modern 1,690 #3,588
2008 modern 1,670 #3,648
2009 modern 1,666 #3,750
2010 modern 1,721 #3,709
2011 modern 1,665 #3,782
2012 modern 1,608 #3,832
2013 modern 1,656 #3,793
2014 modern 1,659 #3,812
2015 modern 1,639 #3,812
2016 modern 1,636 #3,804

Geography

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Where Goodsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, King's Lynn St Margaret, St Pancras and Lambeth. 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, Melton, South Kesteven, Broadland and South Norfolk. 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 King's Lynn St Margaret Norfolk
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 London parishes London 3
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 007 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
2 Melton 001 Melton
3 South Kesteven 014 South Kesteven
4 Broadland 018 Broadland
5 South Norfolk 002 South Norfolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Goodson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Goodson

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

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Goodson is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Goodson is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Goodson falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Goodson

The surname Goodson is of English origin, derived from the Old English personal name "Gōd" and the word "sun" meaning son. It is a patronymic surname, indicating the bearer was the son of someone named Gōd. The name Gōd was not uncommon in medieval England and was likely bestowed as a hoped-for attribute of the child.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Goodson dates back to the late 12th century in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, where one Robert Godesone is mentioned. The spelling variations were common, with forms like Godson, Goodsun, and Gudesone appearing in various records throughout the following centuries.

In the 13th century, a William Godessone is recorded in the Assize Rolls of Warwickshire in 1221. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 mention a John Godesone in Oxfordshire. These early records suggest the name was present across different regions of England during the Middle Ages.

The Goodson surname has also been linked to certain place names, such as Goodson's Green in Oxfordshire and Goodson's Farm in Gloucestershire. These locations likely derived their names from individuals bearing the Goodson surname who resided or owned land there.

One notable figure with the Goodson surname was John Goodson (c.1592-1664), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Richmond in Yorkshire. He published several religious works, including "The Prodigal Son" in 1622.

Another Goodson of historical significance was Thomas Goodson (1768-1857), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars. He rose to the rank of Rear Admiral and was awarded the Naval Gold Medal for his distinguished service.

In the realm of literature, the name appears in the works of Charles Dickens, who included characters with the surname Goodson in his novels "Bleak House" (1852-1853) and "A Tale of Two Cities" (1859).

The Goodson surname has also been associated with notable figures in different fields, such as William Goodson (1804-1858), a British architect responsible for designing several churches and public buildings in London, and James Goodson (1828-1892), an American politician who served as a U.S. Representative from North Carolina.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Goodson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Goodson 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. Norfolk leads with 245 Goodsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.96x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 245 10.96x
Middlesex 200 1.38x
Leicestershire 152 9.43x
Yorkshire 139 0.96x
Surrey 110 1.55x
Hertfordshire 76 7.58x
Buckinghamshire 60 6.82x
Essex 57 1.99x
Nottinghamshire 57 2.91x
Somerset 46 1.96x
Kent 40 0.81x
Lincolnshire 38 1.63x
Oxfordshire 38 4.23x
Lancashire 28 0.16x
Berkshire 26 2.38x
Derbyshire 24 1.05x
Staffordshire 23 0.47x
Cambridgeshire 17 1.85x
Durham 13 0.30x
Northamptonshire 13 0.95x
Suffolk 13 0.73x
Fife 10 1.16x
Warwickshire 10 0.27x
Bedfordshire 9 1.20x
Cheshire 9 0.28x
Gloucestershire 9 0.32x
Hampshire 7 0.23x
Sussex 7 0.29x
Glamorgan 3 0.12x
Montgomeryshire 2 0.60x
Northumberland 2 0.09x
Devon 1 0.03x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.35x
Isle of Man 1 0.37x
Lanarkshire 1 0.02x
Rutland 1 0.94x
Shropshire 1 0.08x
Wiltshire 1 0.08x
Worcestershire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sprowston in Norfolk leads with 50 Goodsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 506.59x.

Place Total Index
Sprowston 50 506.59x
Lambeth 44 3.47x
Battersea 40 7.47x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 38 56.60x
St Pancras London 33 2.82x
Tring 28 104.63x
West Ham 26 4.10x
Great Hadham 24 370.94x
Kensington London 24 2.97x
Bramley In Bramley 22 39.88x
Chelsea London 18 4.11x
Nottingham St Mary 17 3.35x
Ruscombe 17 909.09x
Leeds 15 1.84x
Melton Mowbray 15 51.72x
Harby 14 476.19x
Hartwell 13 1780.82x
Lyncombe Widcombe 13 21.21x
Nether Broughton 13 575.22x
Wartnaby 13 1585.37x
Albury Tiddington 12 1153.85x
Heigham 12 10.00x
Islington London 12 0.85x
Rackheath 12 800.00x
Stapleford 12 75.38x
Armley 11 17.30x
Eastwell 11 1358.02x
Long Eaton 11 36.59x
Ratcliffe London 11 13.70x
Terrington St Clement 11 108.91x
Weston Turville 11 268.29x
Bishopwearmouth 10 2.69x
Chedgrave 10 543.48x
Dysart 10 17.25x
Great Yarmouth 10 5.40x
Mile End New Town London 10 34.79x
Paddington London 10 1.87x
Palgrave 10 268.82x
Thorpe Next Norwich 10 42.19x
Headingley Cum Burley 9 9.70x
Wendover 9 94.94x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 8 5.96x
Baltonsborough 8 228.57x
Barrow Upon Soar 8 60.06x
Bottesford 8 120.66x
Great Coggeshall 8 53.58x
Hackney London 8 0.98x
Middlesbrough 8 4.26x
Nether Hallam 8 4.10x
St George Hanover Square 8 3.12x
Aston Clinton 7 93.96x
Chipping Campden 7 75.35x
Croxton Keyrial 7 256.41x
Grantham 7 23.09x
Hackford In Aylsham 7 174.56x
Hulme 7 1.94x
Lakenham 7 22.03x
Leicester St Mary 7 5.37x
Panxworth 7 1029.41x
Salhouse 7 223.64x
Scottow 7 318.18x
Snenton 7 9.09x
Somerby In Grantham 7 118.24x
South Shoebury 7 60.71x
Stathern 7 260.22x
Thame 7 42.87x
Burley In Wharfdale 6 47.13x
Dallington 6 74.63x
Filby 6 206.19x
Goadby Marwood 6 779.22x
Holbeck 6 6.28x
Leicester All Sts 6 18.95x
Reading St Giles 6 5.60x
Shadwell London 6 14.74x
St Lawrence 6 17.59x
St Marylebone London 6 0.77x
Stoke Upon Trent 6 1.15x
Watford 6 7.72x
West Bromwich 6 2.13x
Wisbech St Peter 6 12.99x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 109
John 86
George 64
Thomas 47
James 44
Joseph 34
Charles 32
Henry 32
Alfred 20
Robert 20
Arthur 16
Benjamin 15
Edward 14
Samuel 14
Walter 14
Frederick 13
Richard 12
Albert 10
Herbert 10
Frank 8
Harry 8
Fredrick 6
Thos. 6
Ernest 5
Francis 4
Robt. 4
Tom 4
David 3
Wm. 3
Alexander 2
Benjiman 2
Chas. 2
Edwin 2
Frederic 2
Joe 2
Lawrence 2
Leonard 2
Oliver 2
Peter 2
Sydney 2
W. 2
Andrew 1
Batlies 1
Ben 1
Benjaman 1
E.Harry 1
Earnest 1
Edd. 1
Edwd. 1
Zachariah 1

FAQ

Goodson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Goodson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,490 people were recorded with the Goodson surname. That placed it at #2,808 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Goodson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,636 in 2016. That gives Goodson a modern rank of #3,804.

What does the Goodson surname mean?

A patronymic surname meaning "son of Goode," referring to a person who was good, kind, or virtuous.

What does the Goodson map show?

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