NameCensus.

UK surname

Gossage

A surname derived from an English place name meaning "goose pasture" or "goose meadow".

In the 1881 census there were 271 people recorded with the Gossage surname, ranking it #10,449 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 402, ranked #11,837, down from #10,449 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Yardley, Kings Norton and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sefton, Knowsley and City of London.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gossage is 455 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 48.3%.

1881 census count

271

Ranked #10,449

Modern count

402

2016, ranked #11,837

Peak year

2010

455 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gossage had 271 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,449 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 402 in 2016, ranked #11,837.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 423 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Gossage surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gossage surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Gossage 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 146 #13,157
1861 historical 160 #14,468
1881 historical 271 #10,449
1891 historical 332 #10,251
1901 historical 376 #9,899
1911 historical 423 #8,924
1997 modern 417 #10,674
1998 modern 430 #10,772
1999 modern 420 #11,035
2000 modern 439 #10,650
2001 modern 435 #10,526
2002 modern 440 #10,638
2003 modern 440 #10,475
2004 modern 446 #10,391
2005 modern 429 #10,597
2006 modern 426 #10,712
2007 modern 431 #10,703
2008 modern 430 #10,834
2009 modern 437 #10,947
2010 modern 455 #10,802
2011 modern 444 #10,902
2012 modern 421 #11,245
2013 modern 418 #11,533
2014 modern 419 #11,592
2015 modern 410 #11,686
2016 modern 402 #11,837

Geography

Back to top

Where Gossages are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Yardley, Kings Norton, London parishes, St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford and Bromsgrove, Upton Warren. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sefton, Knowsley, City of London, Wigan and North Dorset. 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 Yardley Warwickshire
2 Kings Norton Worcestershire
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford London (South Districts)
5 Bromsgrove, Upton Warren Worcestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sefton 029 Sefton
2 Knowsley 004 Knowsley
3 City of London 001 City of London
4 Wigan 024 Wigan
5 North Dorset 003 North Dorset

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Gossage

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Gossage

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Gossage is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gossage 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

Gossage 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 Gossage is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Gossage

The surname Gossage is believed to have originated in England during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English word "gos," which means goose, and the suffix "-age," which denotes a location or place. This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived near a place where geese were kept or raised.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Gossage can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Shropshire, a census-like survey conducted in England in the late 13th century. The entry lists a William Goshage, indicating that variations of the spelling were used at that time.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various documents, including the Cartulary of Oseney Abbey in Oxfordshire, which mentions a John Gossage in 1349. This record provides evidence of the surname's usage during this period.

During the 16th century, the name was recorded in several English parish registers. In 1568, a baptismal record from St. Mary's Church in Beverley, Yorkshire, lists the christening of a child named Robert Gossage. This suggests that the name had spread to different regions of England by that time.

One notable individual with the surname Gossage was John Gossage, a 17th-century English merchant and politician. He was born in 1635 and served as a Member of Parliament for Derby from 1685 to 1687.

In the 18th century, the name appears in various historical records, including the birth record of William Gossage, born in 1720 in Cheshire. Another individual of note was James Gossage, a British engraver and painter who lived from 1738 to 1798.

The 19th century saw the surname Gossage continue to be used in England. One notable figure was Robert Gossage, a British architect born in 1809. He designed several buildings in London, including the former National Bank building on Threadneedle Street.

As the surname spread across England, it also appeared in various place names. For example, there is a village called Gossage Green in Staffordshire, which likely derived its name from the presence of individuals with the Gossage surname in the area.

Other notable individuals with the surname Gossage include the British artist and photographer John Gossage, born in 1946, and the American writer and academic Howard Gossage, who lived from 1917 to 1969.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Gossage families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gossage 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. Warwickshire leads with 78 Gossages recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.66x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 78 11.66x
Worcestershire 74 21.36x
Northamptonshire 29 11.62x
Middlesex 28 1.06x
Kent 21 2.32x
Derbyshire 12 2.89x
Lancashire 12 0.38x
Surrey 6 0.46x
Hampshire 5 0.92x
Staffordshire 2 0.22x
Berkshire 1 0.50x
Royal Navy 1 3.16x
Stirlingshire 1 1.02x
Suffolk 1 0.31x
Yorkshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 44 Gossages recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.73x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 44 19.73x
Bromsgrove 32 274.44x
Kings Norton 21 67.59x
Aston 18 9.77x
Deptford St Paul 14 20.05x
Yardley 14 158.01x
Northampton All Sts 11 129.87x
Litchurch 10 59.81x
Hellidon 8 2758.62x
Islington London 8 3.11x
Ealing 6 25.31x
Leamington Priors 6 36.45x
Lutley 6 3529.41x
Much Woolton 6 140.52x
Leamington 5 112.87x
Portsea 5 4.69x
Deptford St Nicholas 4 55.71x
Northampton St Giles 4 42.06x
Rotherhithe 4 12.20x
Warwick St Mary 4 68.85x
Westminster St John 4 12.38x
Daventry 3 84.99x
Lewisham 3 6.22x
St Pancras London 3 1.40x
Toxteth Park 3 2.81x
Birkdale 2 25.09x
Derby St Alkmund 2 16.06x
Great Creaton 2 689.66x
Kingston On Thames 2 6.44x
Shoreditch London 2 1.74x
Belbroughton 1 55.56x
Chiswick 1 6.90x
Cookham 1 16.10x
Edgbaston 1 4.82x
Falkirk 1 4.36x
Guilsborough 1 151.52x
Handsworth 1 4.53x
Hornsey 1 2.98x
Kensington London 1 0.68x
Liverpool 1 0.52x
Poplar London 1 2.00x
Royal Navy 1 3.70x
Sudbury St Gregory 1 38.61x
Sutton 1 33.33x
Towerof London London 1 119.05x
Weston On Trent 1 208.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 17
Sarah 13
Elizabeth 10
Eliza 5
Ellen 5
Emma 5
Kate 5
Ann 4
Emily 4
Harriett 4
Maria 4
Alice 3
Amelia 3
Elizth. 3
Beatrice 2
Edith 2
Eliz 2
Elizh. 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Harriet 2
Jane 2
Lucy 2
Rosa 2
Rose 2
Caroline 1
Clara 1
Diana 1
Dorcas 1
Ellina 1
Eln. 1
Emmie 1
Ethel 1
Eveline 1
Florance 1
Hannah 1
Katherine 1
Lily 1
Louisa 1
Mabel 1
Margaret 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Maud 1
Mildred 1
Minnie 1
Miriam 1
Nellie 1
Nora 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 20
John 12
George 9
Charles 8
Henry 8
Alfred 7
Thomas 7
Edward 6
Joseph 5
Arthur 4
Ernest 4
David 3
Edwin 3
Frederick 3
James 3
Albert 2
Fredk. 2
Harold 2
Herbert 2
Brooke 1
Chas. 1
Edwd.T. 1
Eli 1
Fred 1
Fred.Chas. 1
Geo. 1
Guy 1
Harry 1
Jno. 1
Louis 1
Neil 1
Peter 1
Ralph 1
Robert 1
Ruben 1
Walter 1
Wilfred 1
Wm. 1
Wm.F. 1

FAQ

Gossage surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gossage surname in 1881?

In 1881, 271 people were recorded with the Gossage surname. That placed it at #10,449 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gossage surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 402 in 2016. That gives Gossage a modern rank of #11,837.

What does the Gossage surname mean?

A surname derived from an English place name meaning "goose pasture" or "goose meadow".

What does the Gossage map show?

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