NameCensus.

UK surname

Goosey

A surname potentially derived from the Goose family name or relating to a goose keeper.

In the 1881 census there were 265 people recorded with the Goosey surname, ranking it #10,612 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 249, ranked #16,847, down from #10,612 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wellingborough, Conway and Irchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northampton, Leicester and South Northamptonshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Goosey is 386 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 6.0%.

1881 census count

265

Ranked #10,612

Modern count

249

2016, ranked #16,847

Peak year

1911

386 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Goosey had 265 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,612 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 249 in 2016, ranked #16,847.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 386 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Goosey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Goosey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Goosey 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 158 #12,461
1861 historical 160 #14,468
1881 historical 265 #10,612
1891 historical 317 #10,611
1901 historical 347 #10,500
1911 historical 386 #9,535
1997 modern 254 #15,111
1998 modern 249 #15,720
1999 modern 252 #15,707
2000 modern 255 #15,538
2001 modern 258 #15,194
2002 modern 261 #15,369
2003 modern 254 #15,454
2004 modern 268 #14,995
2005 modern 260 #15,250
2006 modern 254 #15,560
2007 modern 250 #15,901
2008 modern 249 #16,111
2009 modern 256 #16,145
2010 modern 259 #16,386
2011 modern 256 #16,383
2012 modern 249 #16,572
2013 modern 260 #16,350
2014 modern 265 #16,247
2015 modern 252 #16,705
2016 modern 249 #16,847

Geography

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Where Gooseys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wellingborough, Conway, Irchester, Llandudno and Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northampton, Leicester, South Northamptonshire, Stafford and East Northamptonshire. 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 Wellingborough Northamptonshire
2 Conway Carnarvonshire
3 Irchester Northamptonshire
4 Llandudno Carnarvonshire
5 Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northampton 008 Northampton
2 Leicester 004 Leicester
3 South Northamptonshire 001 South Northamptonshire
4 Stafford 005 Stafford
5 East Northamptonshire 008 East Northamptonshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Goosey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Goosey

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

Goosey 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

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

Meaning and origin of Goosey

The surname Goosey originated in England during the late medieval period, likely derived from the Old English word 'gos' meaning 'goose'. This suggests the name may have initially been an occupational surname referring to someone who raised or dealt with geese.

One of the earliest known references to the name Goosey can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where a William Gose is listed. This spelling variation provides insight into the name's evolution over time.

In the 15th century, records show a John Goosey living in the parish of Sutton Coldfield, Warwickshire. This area was known for its thriving poultry trade, further strengthening the occupational connection of the surname.

During the reign of Henry VIII in the 16th century, the name appears in the form of 'Gowsey' in the Musters of Gloucestershire from 1542, indicating regional variations in spelling and pronunciation.

Notable individuals with the surname Goosey include William Goosey, a prominent merchant from Bristol who lived in the late 17th century, and Sir Robert Goosey, a distinguished military officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and was born in 1772.

In the 19th century, the Goosey surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, and Wiltshire, with families residing in villages such as Bourton-on-the-Water and Lechlade.

A famous literary figure bearing this name was Edith Goosey, a poet and author born in 1865 in Gloucestershire, who published several collections of poetry inspired by the English countryside.

Another notable Goosey was Thomas Goosey, a renowned horticulturist from Oxfordshire who lived from 1809 to 1888 and pioneered new techniques in orchid cultivation.

While the surname Goosey has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through emigration, particularly to North America and Australia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Goosey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Goosey 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. Northamptonshire leads with 176 Gooseys recorded in 1881 and an index of 72.39x.

County Total Index
Northamptonshire 176 72.39x
Bedfordshire 16 11.95x
Caernarfonshire 16 15.31x
Middlesex 14 0.54x
Cheshire 11 1.93x
Essex 10 1.96x
Lancashire 7 0.23x
Surrey 6 0.48x
Glamorgan 2 0.44x
Hampshire 2 0.38x
Banffshire 1 1.87x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.64x
Devon 1 0.19x
Gloucestershire 1 0.20x
Lincolnshire 1 0.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wellingborough in Northamptonshire leads with 52 Gooseys recorded in 1881 and an index of 425.53x.

Place Total Index
Wellingborough 52 425.53x
Mears Ashby 31 6888.89x
Kettering 30 305.19x
Irchester 20 1324.50x
Northampton St Giles 14 151.19x
West Ham 10 8.88x
Birkenhead 8 17.59x
Northampton Priory St 7 47.98x
Llandudno 6 160.86x
Newington 6 6.28x
Wymington 6 1363.64x
Houghton Regis 5 234.74x
St Pancras London 5 2.40x
Eglwys Rhos 4 305.34x
Irthlingborough 4 168.07x
Liverpool 4 2.15x
Northampton St Sepulchre 4 32.34x
Bangor 3 29.76x
Conway 3 148.51x
Kingsthorpe 3 111.11x
Nantwich 3 45.25x
Poddington 3 625.00x
Bromley London 2 3.52x
Clerkenwell London 2 3.28x
East Haddon 2 303.03x
Harpole 2 270.27x
Holcutt 2 4000.00x
Holdenhurst 2 14.39x
Ince In Makerfield 2 14.02x
Roath 2 9.78x
St Martin In Fields 2 12.92x
Stanwick 2 344.83x
Banff 1 21.46x
Cirencester 1 14.58x
Lathom 1 27.03x
Lidford 1 41.32x
Little Houghton 1 222.22x
Mile End Old Town London 1 1.82x
Northampton All Sts 1 12.12x
Orlingbury 1 400.00x
Scamblesby 1 312.50x
Shoreditch London 1 0.89x
St George Hanover Square 1 2.20x
Sywell 1 476.19x
Weston Underwood 1 322.58x
Whittlebury 1 227.27x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 22
Elizabeth 14
Ellen 7
Sarah 5
Ann 4
Hannah 4
Margaret 4
Eliza 3
Emily 3
Harriett 3
Louisa 3
Martha 3
Ada 2
Annie 2
Catherine 2
Clara 2
Emma 2
Jane 2
Kate 2
Laura 2
Lydia 2
Maria 2
Rebecca 2
Sophia 2
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Anna 1
Caroline 1
Charlotte 1
Edith 1
Elish. 1
Elizth. 1
Esther 1
Florence 1
Gertrude 1
Harriet 1
Helen 1
Ida 1
Isabel 1
Lilla 1
Margret 1
Margt.E. 1
Matilda 1
Maude 1
Mealia 1
Mertha 1
Rose 1
Sydney 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 18
William 13
George 11
Thomas 11
Charles 8
James 7
Richard 6
Robert 6
Timothy 5
Alfred 4
Arthur 4
Frank 3
Harry 3
Nathaniel 3
Albert 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Francis 2
Fred 2
Frederick 2
Henry 2
Titus 2
Cave 1
Dan 1
Daniels 1
David 1
Evan 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Herbert 1
Hugh 1
Jas. 1
Litus 1
Maurice 1
Oliver 1
Owen 1
Richd. 1
Samuel 1
Septimus 1
Sidney 1
Smith 1
Stephen 1
Sydney 1
Wallis 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Goosey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Goosey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 265 people were recorded with the Goosey surname. That placed it at #10,612 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Goosey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 249 in 2016. That gives Goosey a modern rank of #16,847.

What does the Goosey surname mean?

A surname potentially derived from the Goose family name or relating to a goose keeper.

What does the Goosey map show?

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