NameCensus.

UK surname

Gosal

An occupational surname derived from Sanskrit word 'go' meaning cattle and 'shala' meaning shed, referring to one who worked in a cattle shed or as a cowherd.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Nottingham, North Lincolnshire and Ealing.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gosal is 416 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

388

2016, ranked #12,133

Peak year

2011

416 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 388 in 2016, ranked #12,133.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 9 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Gosal surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gosal surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gosal 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
1861 historical 1 #34,435
1891 historical 9 #33,451
1997 modern 237 #15,809
1998 modern 256 #15,436
1999 modern 271 #14,954
2000 modern 299 #13,937
2001 modern 284 #14,221
2002 modern 320 #13,414
2003 modern 317 #13,328
2004 modern 327 #13,094
2005 modern 339 #12,668
2006 modern 335 #12,883
2007 modern 344 #12,743
2008 modern 361 #12,407
2009 modern 383 #12,125
2010 modern 405 #11,874
2011 modern 416 #11,492
2012 modern 385 #12,061
2013 modern 398 #11,967
2014 modern 404 #11,906
2015 modern 393 #12,059
2016 modern 388 #12,133

Geography

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Where Gosals are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Nottingham, North Lincolnshire, Ealing, Hillingdon and Haringey. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Nottingham 019 Nottingham
2 North Lincolnshire 010 North Lincolnshire
3 Ealing 037 Ealing
4 Hillingdon 030 Hillingdon
5 Haringey 022 Haringey

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gosal

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gosal

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Suburban Professionals

Nationally, the Gosal surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Gosal household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Gosal is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gosal is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gosal falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Gosal is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Asian - Indian

This describes the area pattern most associated with Gosal, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Gosal

The surname Gosal is believed to have originated in the state of Punjab, located in the northern region of the Indian subcontinent. The name can be traced back to the 16th century and is thought to be derived from the Sanskrit word "gotra," which means "clan" or "lineage."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gosal can be found in the Sikh historical text known as the "Guru Granth Sahib," which was compiled during the late 16th and early 17th centuries. The text mentions a Sikh warrior named Gosal Singh, who fought alongside Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the tenth and last living Sikh Guru.

During the Mughal period, which spanned from the 16th to the 19th century, the Gosal surname was prominent among the Jat community, an influential agricultural and landowning group in Punjab. Several Jat chieftains bearing the Gosal name were known for their bravery and military prowess in battles against the Mughal rulers.

In the 18th century, a prominent figure named Bhai Maha Singh Gosal played a significant role in the Sikh resistance against the Afghan invaders. He was a skilled warrior and a close companion of Nawab Kapur Singh, a legendary Sikh military leader of that era.

Another notable individual with the Gosal surname was Sardar Bahadur Sir Ganda Singh Gosal (1881-1945), a distinguished politician and diplomat who served as a member of the Council of India and represented India at the League of Nations.

In more recent times, the Gosal surname has gained recognition through individuals such as Dr. Gurdev Singh Gosal (1923-2007), a renowned physicist and educationist who made significant contributions to the field of nuclear physics and served as the Vice-Chancellor of Punjab University.

While the Gosal surname originated in Punjab, it has since spread to other parts of India and around the world due to migration and diaspora. However, the name remains deeply rooted in its Punjabi heritage and continues to hold significance within the Sikh and Jat communities.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Gosal surname: questions and answers

How common is the Gosal surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 388 in 2016. That gives Gosal a modern rank of #12,133.

What does the Gosal surname mean?

An occupational surname derived from Sanskrit word 'go' meaning cattle and 'shala' meaning shed, referring to one who worked in a cattle shed or as a cowherd.

What does the Gosal map show?

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