NameCensus.

UK surname

Goucher

An occupational surname derived from the Old French "gouchier" meaning one who squints or is cross-eyed.

In the 1881 census there were 175 people recorded with the Goucher surname, ranking it #13,982 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 329, ranked #13,798, up from #13,982 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Shrewsbury St Chad, Wroxeter, Atcham, Berrington and Shrewsbury St Alkmond, St Julian, St Mary (pt), Meole Brace. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Chesterfield, Breckland and Bolsover.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Goucher is 352 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 88.0%.

1881 census count

175

Ranked #13,982

Modern count

329

2016, ranked #13,798

Peak year

1999

352 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Goucher had 175 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,982 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 329 in 2016, ranked #13,798.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 259 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Goucher surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Goucher surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Goucher 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 93 #17,946
1861 historical 121 #18,148
1881 historical 175 #13,982
1891 historical 236 #13,278
1901 historical 253 #13,045
1911 historical 259 #12,585
1997 modern 330 #12,701
1998 modern 350 #12,537
1999 modern 352 #12,552
2000 modern 351 #12,534
2001 modern 333 #12,817
2002 modern 342 #12,837
2003 modern 340 #12,685
2004 modern 345 #12,571
2005 modern 341 #12,605
2006 modern 343 #12,626
2007 modern 334 #13,036
2008 modern 333 #13,175
2009 modern 348 #13,020
2010 modern 349 #13,280
2011 modern 343 #13,277
2012 modern 346 #13,070
2013 modern 336 #13,574
2014 modern 336 #13,692
2015 modern 330 #13,774
2016 modern 329 #13,798

Geography

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Where Gouchers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Shrewsbury St Chad, Wroxeter, Atcham, Berrington, Shrewsbury St Alkmond, St Julian, St Mary (pt), Meole Brace, Bolsover and Chesterfield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Chesterfield, Breckland and Bolsover. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Shrewsbury St Chad, Wroxeter, Atcham, Berrington Shropshire
3 Shrewsbury St Alkmond, St Julian, St Mary (pt), Meole Brace Shropshire
4 Bolsover Derbyshire
5 Chesterfield Derbyshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Chesterfield 004 Chesterfield
2 Breckland 012 Breckland
3 Bolsover 007 Bolsover
4 Bolsover 004 Bolsover
5 Chesterfield 007 Chesterfield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Goucher

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Goucher

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Goucher surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Goucher household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Goucher is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Goucher 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

Goucher falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Goucher

The surname Goucher is of English origin and can be traced back to the early medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "gocer," which referred to a tax collector or rent gatherer. The earliest recorded spelling of the name appears to be Godcher in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk in 1166.

The Goucher name was primarily found in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk in eastern England during the Middle Ages. It is thought to have originated as an occupational surname, given to individuals who worked as tax collectors or rent gatherers for landowners or the local nobility.

In the 13th century, there are references to a Richard Gouchere in the Feet of Fines records for Suffolk in 1248. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also mention a John Gouchere from Norfolk. These early records provide evidence of the name's existence and its association with the region of East Anglia.

By the 14th century, the surname had evolved to its more modern spelling of "Goucher." In the Poll Tax Returns of 1381, there are entries for a John Gouchere and a William Gouchere, both from Norfolk. This document, which recorded taxpayers during the reign of Richard II, is a valuable source for tracing the name's development and distribution.

One notable individual with the Goucher surname was Thomas Goucher (c. 1590-1669), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of Swinstead in Lincolnshire. He published several religious works during his lifetime, including "The Principles of the Christian Religion Explained" in 1660.

In the 17th century, the Goucher name also appeared in records from the American colonies. One of the earliest instances is that of John Goucher, who settled in Virginia in 1635. His descendants helped establish the Goucher family in the United States.

Another prominent figure was John Goucher (1835-1892), an American businessman and philanthropist from Pennsylvania. He co-founded the Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland, which was named in his honor and remains a prestigious liberal arts institution to this day.

Throughout history, the Goucher surname has been associated with various occupations and professions, including clergy, authors, businessmen, and educators. While its origins can be traced back to medieval England, the name has since spread to other parts of the world, reflecting the migration patterns and cultural influences that have shaped its legacy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Goucher families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Goucher 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. Derbyshire leads with 32 Gouchers recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.97x.

County Total Index
Derbyshire 32 11.97x
Yorkshire 31 1.83x
Staffordshire 23 3.99x
Shropshire 22 14.92x
Surrey 19 2.28x
Lancashire 14 0.69x
Warwickshire 11 2.56x
Nottinghamshire 10 4.35x
Devon 6 1.69x
Sussex 2 0.70x
Essex 1 0.30x
Hampshire 1 0.29x
Kent 1 0.17x
Lanarkshire 1 0.18x
Middlesex 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Croydon in Surrey leads with 16 Gouchers recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.65x.

Place Total Index
Croydon 16 34.65x
Scarcliff 15 4166.67x
Wolverhampton 15 33.86x
Shrewsbury St Chad 13 250.97x
Birmingham 11 7.67x
Chesterfield 11 109.78x
Whiston 10 1234.57x
Hunslet 7 26.54x
Brimington 6 295.57x
Burslem 6 36.34x
East Portlemouth 6 3333.33x
Newton In Makerfield 5 80.65x
Shrewsbury St Alkmond 4 487.80x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 3 19.04x
Manchester 3 3.29x
Meole Brace 3 394.74x
Pendleton In Salford 3 12.43x
Thornton In Bradford 3 53.29x
Ashtead 2 370.37x
Edwinstowe 2 363.64x
Great Crosby 2 36.23x
Heeley 2 38.91x
Mansfield 2 25.13x
Nether Hallam 2 8.74x
Rotherham 2 20.96x
Wolstanton Knutton 2 56.82x
Worksop 2 29.33x
Condover 1 96.15x
Cuckney 1 303.03x
Deptford St Paul 1 2.23x
Eastbourne 1 7.55x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 2.91x
Glasgow 1 1.02x
Harworth 1 312.50x
Hove 1 7.92x
Newark Upon Trent 1 12.09x
Nottingham St Mary 1 1.68x
Paddington London 1 1.59x
Penge 1 9.17x
Portsea 1 1.46x
Sheffield 1 1.86x
Sheinton 1 1666.67x
Toxteth Park 1 1.46x
West Ham 1 1.34x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 12
Sarah 10
Alice 7
Annie 6
Hannah 5
Eliza 4
Elizabeth 4
Ellen 4
Jane 4
Maria 4
Emily 3
Harriet 3
Caroline 2
Emma 2
Florence 2
Lucy 2
A. 1
Agnes 1
Allice 1
Ann 1
Bessie 1
Clara 1
Drucilla 1
Eleanor 1
Faith 1
Isabella 1
L. 1
Lily 1
M. 1
Margaret 1
Marie 1
Martha 1
Maude 1
May 1
Nancy 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 9
John 9
William 8
James 7
Samuel 6
Charles 5
Henry 3
Levi 3
Thomas 3
Thos. 3
Arthur 2
Edward 2
Richard 2
Robert 2
Alfred 1
Allan 1
Archbald 1
David 1
Emanuel 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
Hy.Stephen 1
Jacob 1
Joseph 1
Reuben 1
Tom 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1
Zebulon 1

FAQ

Goucher surname: questions and answers

How common was the Goucher surname in 1881?

In 1881, 175 people were recorded with the Goucher surname. That placed it at #13,982 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Goucher surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 329 in 2016. That gives Goucher a modern rank of #13,798.

What does the Goucher surname mean?

An occupational surname derived from the Old French "gouchier" meaning one who squints or is cross-eyed.

What does the Goucher map show?

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