NameCensus.

UK surname

Goodspeed

A nickname for a fast runner or messenger, likely given to someone with quick feet or who delivered messages.

In the 1881 census there were 91 people recorded with the Goodspeed surname, ranking it #20,843 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 113, ranked #28,691, down from #20,843 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes and St John Hackney. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, Havering and Wiltshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Goodspeed is 176 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 24.2%.

1881 census count

91

Ranked #20,843

Modern count

113

2016, ranked #28,691

Peak year

1911

176 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Goodspeed had 91 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,843 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 113 in 2016, ranked #28,691.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 176 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Goodspeed surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Goodspeed surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Goodspeed 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 45 #25,168
1861 historical 57 #26,718
1881 historical 91 #20,843
1891 historical 119 #21,415
1901 historical 147 #18,270
1911 historical 176 #16,185
1997 modern 128 #23,238
1998 modern 142 #22,406
1999 modern 143 #22,521
2000 modern 141 #22,648
2001 modern 136 #22,855
2002 modern 136 #23,296
2003 modern 135 #23,155
2004 modern 129 #24,019
2005 modern 129 #23,963
2006 modern 129 #24,165
2007 modern 124 #25,086
2008 modern 125 #25,249
2009 modern 124 #25,957
2010 modern 123 #26,728
2011 modern 119 #27,063
2012 modern 116 #27,550
2013 modern 113 #28,502
2014 modern 114 #28,608
2015 modern 113 #28,645
2016 modern 113 #28,691

Geography

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Where Goodspeeds are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes, St John Hackney, Enfield and St Giles Camberwell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, Havering, Wiltshire, Redbridge and Thurrock. 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 Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
2 London parishes London 3
3 St John Hackney London (North Districts)
4 Enfield Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
5 St Giles Camberwell London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 057 Cornwall
2 Havering 009 Havering
3 Wiltshire 017 Wiltshire
4 Redbridge 019 Redbridge
5 Thurrock 005 Thurrock

Forenames

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First names often paired with Goodspeed

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Goodspeed

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Goodspeed surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Goodspeed household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Goodspeed is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Goodspeed is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Goodspeed

The surname Goodspeed is of English origin, originating in the Middle Ages. It derives from the Old English words "god" meaning good and "spede" meaning success or prosperity. The name likely referred to someone who was prosperous or successful.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname date back to the 13th century. Records from this era show variations in spelling such as Godspede, Godespede, and Goodspede. One of the earliest references is found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which mentions a William Godespede.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various historical records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which lists a John Godspede. The Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1332 also mention a Thomas Godespede.

The surname Goodspeed can be traced back to places like Goodspeed in Worcestershire and Goodspeed Park in Hampshire. These place names likely influenced the spelling and spread of the surname.

Notable individuals with the surname Goodspeed throughout history include:

1. Edgar J. Goodspeed (1871-1962), an American theologian and scholar who translated the Bible into modern English. 2. Thomas Waties Goodspeed (1888-1966), an American educator and theologian who served as the president of the University of Chicago from 1944 to 1953. 3. George Stephen Goodspeed (1860-1923), an American entrepreneur and businessman who founded the Goodspeed Machine Company in Massachusetts. 4. Reverend James Goodspeed (1825-1906), an American Methodist minister and author who wrote extensively on religious topics. 5. Eliza Goodspeed (1818-1896), an American abolitionist and activist who worked to end slavery and promote women's rights.

The surname Goodspeed has been found in various historical records across England, including parish registers, tax records, and court documents. Its endurance over centuries reflects the significance and prosperity associated with this name throughout English history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Goodspeed families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Goodspeed 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. Middlesex leads with 57 Goodspeeds recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.42x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 57 6.42x
Surrey 18 4.16x
Lancashire 5 0.47x
Essex 4 2.28x
Kent 3 0.99x
Hertfordshire 2 3.27x
Dorset 1 1.72x
Sussex 1 0.67x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Camberwell in Surrey leads with 13 Goodspeeds recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.93x.

Place Total Index
Camberwell 13 22.93x
Shoreditch London 13 33.79x
Bethnal Green London 9 23.35x
Saffron Hill London 8 4210.53x
Hackney London 7 14.07x
Bow London 6 53.10x
Kirkdale 5 28.22x
Bermondsey 4 15.14x
Enfield 4 68.73x
Mile End Old Town London 4 21.18x
West Ham 4 10.34x
Finchley 3 88.24x
Folkestone 2 34.07x
Islington London 2 2.33x
Blandford Forum 1 86.96x
Broadwater 1 29.15x
Chipping Barnet 1 93.46x
Kidbrooke 1 588.24x
South Mimms 1 81.97x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 5.60x
St Albans St Peter 1 48.54x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Goodspeed surname: questions and answers

How common was the Goodspeed surname in 1881?

In 1881, 91 people were recorded with the Goodspeed surname. That placed it at #20,843 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Goodspeed surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 113 in 2016. That gives Goodspeed a modern rank of #28,691.

What does the Goodspeed surname mean?

A nickname for a fast runner or messenger, likely given to someone with quick feet or who delivered messages.

What does the Goodspeed map show?

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