NameCensus.

UK surname

Goss

An English occupational surname referring to someone who gossiped or told stories, derived from the Middle English "gos."

In the 1881 census there were 2,599 people recorded with the Goss surname, ranking it #1,715 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,286, ranked #2,064, down from #1,715 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Aylesbury Vale, South Hams and Shropshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Goss is 3,533 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 26.4%.

1881 census count

2,599

Ranked #1,715

Modern count

3,286

2016, ranked #2,064

Peak year

1999

3,533 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Goss had 2,599 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,715 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,286 in 2016, ranked #2,064.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,287 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Goss surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Goss surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Goss 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 1,697 #1,700
1861 historical 1,662 #1,723
1881 historical 2,599 #1,715
1891 historical 2,706 #1,755
1901 historical 3,099 #1,806
1911 historical 3,287 #1,588
1997 modern 3,399 #1,906
1998 modern 3,520 #1,915
1999 modern 3,533 #1,922
2000 modern 3,471 #1,949
2001 modern 3,377 #1,955
2002 modern 3,411 #1,987
2003 modern 3,335 #1,979
2004 modern 3,341 #1,983
2005 modern 3,309 #1,972
2006 modern 3,242 #2,018
2007 modern 3,276 #2,025
2008 modern 3,302 #2,025
2009 modern 3,346 #2,044
2010 modern 3,404 #2,050
2011 modern 3,374 #2,038
2012 modern 3,297 #2,045
2013 modern 3,345 #2,051
2014 modern 3,352 #2,057
2015 modern 3,300 #2,066
2016 modern 3,286 #2,064

Geography

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Where Goss' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, St Pancras and Nottingham St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Aylesbury Vale, South Hams, Shropshire, Bridgend and Southampton. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Aylesbury Vale 008 Aylesbury Vale
2 South Hams 003 South Hams
3 Shropshire 015 Shropshire
4 Bridgend 004 Bridgend
5 Southampton 028 Southampton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Goss

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Goss

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

Goss is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Goss falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Goss

The surname Goss has its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "gors," meaning a marsh or swampy area. This suggests that the name may have originated as a topographic surname, referring to someone who lived near or in a marshy region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Goss can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of Norfolk, dating back to 1275. This record lists a certain "Willelmus Gors," indicating the presence of the surname in medieval England.

During the 16th century, the name appeared in various spellings, such as Gorse, Gorsse, and Goss, reflecting the lack of standardized spelling conventions at the time. The Goss surname was particularly prevalent in the county of Devon, where several notable individuals bearing this name emerged.

One noteworthy individual was Sir John Goss (c. 1538-1627), a member of the English gentry and a prominent landowner in Devon. He served as a Member of Parliament and was appointed High Sheriff of Devon in 1599.

Another notable figure was John Goss (1800-1880), a distinguished English organist and composer. Born in Fareham, Hampshire, he composed numerous sacred works, including oratorios and anthems, and served as an organist at several prestigious churches in London.

The surname Goss can also be traced back to the village of Goss, located in the county of Wiltshire. This place name likely originated from the Old English word "goers," meaning a triangular piece of land or a wedge-shaped area.

In the 17th century, the name Goss appeared in various legal documents and records, such as the Hearth Tax Rolls of Devon and Somerset, further solidifying its presence in these regions.

Another notable figure bearing the Goss surname was Sir John Goss (1758-1838), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars. He distinguished himself in several battles and was knighted for his bravery and leadership.

The Goss surname has also been associated with other notable individuals throughout history, including William Goss (1838-1885), an English cricketer who played for Surrey County Cricket Club, and Robert Goss (1888-1957), a Canadian politician who served as a member of the House of Commons of Canada.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Goss families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Goss 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. Devon leads with 502 Goss' recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.48x.

County Total Index
Devon 502 9.48x
Middlesex 417 1.64x
Surrey 139 1.12x
Lancashire 135 0.45x
Norfolk 112 2.86x
Kent 107 1.23x
Buckinghamshire 102 6.63x
Glamorgan 97 2.19x
Somerset 87 2.12x
Yorkshire 85 0.34x
Bedfordshire 74 5.62x
Gloucestershire 71 1.42x
Hertfordshire 67 3.82x
Essex 64 1.27x
Cornwall 61 2.12x
Suffolk 55 1.77x
Nottinghamshire 41 1.20x
Hampshire 35 0.67x
Leicestershire 35 1.24x
Monmouthshire 29 1.58x
Durham 28 0.37x
Northamptonshire 27 1.13x
Staffordshire 23 0.27x
Sussex 22 0.51x
Warwickshire 22 0.34x
Lincolnshire 19 0.47x
Cumberland 17 0.78x
Berkshire 16 0.84x
Northumberland 15 0.40x
Cheshire 14 0.25x
Wiltshire 14 0.62x
Cambridgeshire 12 0.74x
Westmorland 10 1.79x
Worcestershire 10 0.30x
Derbyshire 9 0.23x
Brecknockshire 8 1.57x
Huntingdonshire 6 1.19x
Royal Navy 4 1.32x
Stirlingshire 4 0.43x
Isle of Man 2 0.42x
Lanarkshire 2 0.02x
Renfrewshire 2 0.10x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.10x
Channel Islands 1 0.13x
Dorset 1 0.06x
Midlothian 1 0.03x
Rutland 1 0.54x
Shropshire 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. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 59 Goss' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.88x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 59 2.88x
St Marylebone London 56 4.12x
Bodmin 31 65.06x
Lambeth 30 1.35x
Islington London 29 1.18x
Nottingham St Mary 28 3.16x
Tormoham 25 11.16x
Cardiff St John 24 16.59x
Swansea Town 24 6.61x
Chelsea London 22 2.87x
Combmartin 22 191.30x
Leeds 22 1.55x
Toxteth Park 22 2.15x
Water Eaton 22 1018.52x
East Stonehouse 21 20.13x
Sandon 21 316.27x
Deptford St Paul 20 2.99x
Kings Brompton Brompton 20 934.58x
Lewisham 20 4.32x
Woolwich 20 6.24x
Barnstaple 19 22.86x
Clifton 19 7.53x
Newington 19 2.02x
Paddington London 18 1.92x
Plymouth St Andrew 18 4.41x
Rattery 18 521.74x
Shoreditch London 17 1.54x
Portsea 16 1.57x
Tiverton 16 17.54x
West Derby 16 1.81x
Hackney London 15 1.05x
St Luke London 15 3.68x
Bedford St Paul 14 15.50x
Bethnal Green London 14 1.27x
Limehouse London 14 5.01x
Newport 14 15.96x
Tottenham 14 3.46x
Kensington London 13 0.92x
Leicester St Margaret 13 1.89x
Waddesdon Westcott 13 270.27x
Birmingham 12 0.56x
Brighton 12 1.39x
Camberwell 12 0.74x
Crediton 12 23.91x
Dartford 12 13.52x
Manchester 12 0.88x
Plymouth Charles The 12 5.14x
Salford 12 1.35x
St Giles In Fields London 12 9.61x
Stoke Damerel 12 3.24x
Taunton St James 12 20.09x
Wavertree 12 12.42x
West Ham 12 1.08x
Bromley London 11 1.97x
Ipswich St Peter 11 26.37x
Kelsale 11 127.91x
Lanivet 11 122.63x
St John Near Swansea 11 20.08x
Watford 11 8.09x
Ashwell 10 72.62x
Ealing 10 4.40x
Georgeham 10 150.38x
North Tawton 10 61.46x
Reigate Foreign 10 7.45x
Shouldham Thorpe 10 413.22x
Stanhoe 10 260.42x
Waddesdon 10 136.24x
Westbury On Trym 10 5.92x
Aylesbury 9 13.21x
Battersea 9 0.96x
Berkhampstead 9 22.83x
Bradwell 9 41.57x
Caldewgate 9 7.50x
Clifton 9 70.81x
Dulverton 9 75.06x
Finchley 9 9.23x
Ipswich St Margaret 9 8.56x
Odd Rode 9 32.36x
Poplar London 9 1.87x
Swansea St Thomas 9 20.22x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 185
Elizabeth 102
Sarah 86
Emma 50
Eliza 49
Ellen 48
Ann 45
Jane 39
Emily 37
Annie 35
Alice 32
Louisa 24
Charlotte 21
Hannah 21
Lucy 21
Martha 21
Clara 18
Florence 17
Margaret 17
Edith 16
Susan 16
Fanny 14
Maria 14
Ada 13
Catherine 13
Harriet 13
Amelia 12
Caroline 11
Anne 10
Esther 10
Minnie 10
Frances 9
Matilda 9
Ruth 9
Anna 8
Eleanor 8
Harriett 8
Rebecca 8
Susannah 8
Bessie 7
Laura 7
Selina 7
Agnes 6
Elizth. 6
Ethel 6
Grace 6
Isabella 6
Kate 6
Georgina 5
Mabel 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 169
John 156
George 111
Thomas 91
James 72
Henry 65
Charles 51
Joseph 43
Edward 34
Alfred 31
Frederick 28
Samuel 26
Arthur 25
Richard 22
Robert 22
Walter 19
Albert 16
Harry 12
Herbert 11
Frank 10
Fredrick 9
Thos. 8
Ernest 7
Francis 7
Fred 7
Philip 7
Sidney 7
Wm. 7
Christopher 6
David 6
Andrew 5
Isaac 5
Edwin 4
Frederic 4
Stephen 4
J. 3
Michael 3
Saml. 3
Abraham 2
Alexander 2
Benjamin 2
Cornelius 2
Geo. 2
Jacob 2
Julian 2
Mathew 2
Owen 2
Percy 2
Simon 2
Willm. 2

FAQ

Goss surname: questions and answers

How common was the Goss surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,599 people were recorded with the Goss surname. That placed it at #1,715 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Goss surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,286 in 2016. That gives Goss a modern rank of #2,064.

What does the Goss surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to someone who gossiped or told stories, derived from the Middle English "gos."

What does the Goss map show?

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