NameCensus.

UK surname

Goslin

An English surname derived from the Old French word "goslin" meaning a young goose.

In the 1881 census there were 244 people recorded with the Goslin surname, ranking it #11,258 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 140, ranked #24,865, down from #11,258 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Acton, London parishes and Barking. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Caerphilly, Bristol and Melton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Goslin is 273 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 42.6%.

1881 census count

244

Ranked #11,258

Modern count

140

2016, ranked #24,865

Peak year

1911

273 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Goslin had 244 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,258 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 140 in 2016, ranked #24,865.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 273 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Goslin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Goslin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Goslin 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 265 #8,395
1861 historical 142 #15,982
1881 historical 244 #11,258
1891 historical 246 #12,912
1901 historical 257 #12,898
1911 historical 273 #12,177
1997 modern 136 #22,398
1998 modern 140 #22,615
1999 modern 149 #21,924
2000 modern 145 #22,259
2001 modern 133 #23,132
2002 modern 139 #22,991
2003 modern 132 #23,459
2004 modern 135 #23,326
2005 modern 127 #24,178
2006 modern 127 #24,384
2007 modern 130 #24,389
2008 modern 129 #24,790
2009 modern 127 #25,564
2010 modern 131 #25,656
2011 modern 131 #25,430
2012 modern 136 #24,830
2013 modern 140 #24,779
2014 modern 135 #25,581
2015 modern 138 #25,103
2016 modern 140 #24,865

Geography

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Where Goslins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Acton, London parishes, Barking and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Caerphilly, Bristol, Melton, Lewisham and Rochdale. 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 Acton Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 London parishes London 1
3 Barking Essex
4 London parishes London 3
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Caerphilly 007 Caerphilly
2 Bristol 008 Bristol, City of
3 Melton 001 Melton
4 Lewisham 019 Lewisham
5 Rochdale 006 Rochdale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Goslin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Goslin

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Goslin is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Goslin is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Goslin

The surname Goslin originated in the northern French region of Normandy during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old French word "goselin," which itself comes from the Germanic name Gozelin or Gozzelinus. The name is a diminutive form of the Germanic name "Goz," meaning a descendant or offspring.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Goslin can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey commissioned by William the Conqueror to record the landholdings and wealth of England. The Domesday Book mentions a landowner named Goslin holding lands in the county of Hertfordshire.

In the 12th century, a nobleman named Goslin de Luzarches was mentioned in historical records as a participant in the Second Crusade, which took place between 1147 and 1149. He was a French knight who accompanied King Louis VII on the crusade to the Holy Land.

Another notable bearer of the name was Robert Goslin, a 13th-century English churchman who served as the Archdeacon of Berkshire and is mentioned in ecclesiastical records from that period.

During the 14th century, a French scholar and clergyman named Jean Goslin was known for his writings on theology and canon law. He was born around 1300 and lived during the reign of King Philip IV of France.

In the 16th century, the name Goslin was found in various spellings, such as Goslyne, Goselyn, and Goslinge, particularly in areas of southern England and East Anglia. One notable example was Sir Ralph Goslinge, a prominent English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for the county of Essex in the 1550s.

Another notable individual with the surname Goslin was John Goslin, a 17th-century English painter who was active in the late 1600s and is known for his portraits and landscapes. He was born in 1655 and died in 1720.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Goslin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Goslin 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 85 Goslins recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.50x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 85 3.50x
Essex 26 5.42x
Gloucestershire 17 3.57x
Surrey 15 1.27x
Lancashire 14 0.49x
Devon 13 2.57x
Kent 12 1.45x
Lincolnshire 10 2.58x
Cheshire 9 1.68x
Lanarkshire 7 0.89x
Yorkshire 7 0.29x
Channel Islands 5 6.95x
Leicestershire 5 1.86x
Somerset 5 1.28x
Hampshire 4 0.80x
Suffolk 4 1.35x
Sussex 4 0.98x
Staffordshire 2 0.24x
Warwickshire 2 0.33x
Fife 1 0.70x
Monmouthshire 1 0.57x
Shropshire 1 0.48x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Marylebone London in Middlesex leads with 17 Goslins recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.11x.

Place Total Index
St Marylebone London 17 13.11x
Barking 14 99.79x
Hackney London 12 8.81x
South Mimms 12 360.36x
Henbury 10 431.03x
Lambeth 10 4.72x
Bredbury 9 290.32x
Plymouth St Andrew 9 23.11x
Shoreditch London 7 6.65x
St George Hanover Square 7 16.36x
New Monkland 6 25.84x
Newton In Makerfield 6 67.95x
Aby 5 1724.14x
Aylestone 5 235.85x
Bethnal Green London 5 4.74x
Deptford St Paul 5 7.82x
Islington London 5 2.12x
Middlesbrough 5 15.95x
Romford 5 65.96x
St Pancras London 5 2.56x
Battersea 4 4.48x
Louth 4 44.94x
Mundon 4 1481.48x
Bristol St James In 3 42.80x
Congresbury 3 303.03x
Everton 3 3.27x
Hornsey 3 9.77x
Lewisham 3 6.79x
Over Darwen 3 13.03x
St Clement 3 275.23x
St Giles In Fields London 3 25.17x
Almondsbury 2 109.89x
Barnsley 2 8.05x
Christchurch 2 18.54x
East Stonehouse 2 20.08x
Hammersmith London 2 3.34x
Milverton 2 138.89x
Pakenham 2 250.00x
St Lawrence 2 35.09x
Stapleton 2 22.12x
Uckfield 2 111.73x
Wolverhampton 2 3.17x
Aspull 1 14.75x
Auchterderran 1 27.70x
Aylesbeare 1 136.99x
Birmingham 1 0.49x
Black Notley 1 181.82x
Brighton 1 1.21x
Clerkenwell London 1 1.74x
Colchester St Mary At 1 58.82x
Crediton 1 20.88x
Dingestow 1 666.67x
Edgbaston 1 5.27x
Edmonton 1 5.11x
Glasgow 1 0.72x
Great Finborough 1 294.12x
Harrow On The Hill 1 20.62x
Ipswich St Mathew 1 12.06x
Laleham 1 217.39x
Nackington 1 1000.00x
Plumstead 1 3.62x
Ratcliffe London 1 7.46x
Shalfleet 1 104.17x
South Stoneham 1 9.26x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 2.05x
St George Martyr London 1 20.33x
St Gilesin Fields London 1 48.54x
St Helier 1 4.27x
Sutton St Mary 1 27.25x
Thorpe Le Soken 1 250.00x
Trinity 1 59.88x
Walton On Hill 1 6.41x
Whitchurch Tilstock 1 192.31x
Worth 1 33.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Elizabeth 8
Alice 6
Jane 6
Sarah 6
Ellen 5
Annie 4
Agnes 3
Ann 3
Eliza 3
Florence 3
Harriet 3
Maria 3
Agness 2
Anne 2
Charlotte 2
Eleanor 2
Emily 2
Hannah 2
Julia 2
Kate 2
Lydia 2
Maud 2
Ruth 2
Amelia 1
Bessie 1
Caroline 1
Carrie 1
Catharine 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Grace 1
Hanna 1
Harrt. 1
Henrietta 1
Heplizebah 1
Kezia 1
Lella 1
Lillie 1
Louisa 1
Margaret 1
Martha 1
May 1
Melissa 1
Norah 1
Phoebe 1
Rosa 1
Rosalind 1
Rose 1
Teresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 13
William 13
James 12
Charles 9
George 8
Henry 6
Thomas 6
Joseph 5
Ernest 4
Robert 4
Arthur 3
Benjamin 3
Edward 3
Alfred 2
Daniel 2
Frank 2
Samuel 2
Tom 2
Ambrose 1
Augusta 1
Farrow 1
Francis 1
Harry 1
Hedley 1
Honore 1
Isaic 1
Jas. 1
Jas.J. 1
Jessie 1
Jno. 1
Jonathan 1
Jonathon 1
Maurice 1
Percy 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Saml. 1
Sidney 1
Stephen 1
W. 1
Walter 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Goslin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Goslin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 244 people were recorded with the Goslin surname. That placed it at #11,258 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Goslin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 140 in 2016. That gives Goslin a modern rank of #24,865.

What does the Goslin surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old French word "goslin" meaning a young goose.

What does the Goslin map show?

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