NameCensus.

UK surname

Goudie

A Scottish surname derived from the name Gowdae, possibly a Gaelic word related to "smith" or "metalworker".

In the 1881 census there were 951 people recorded with the Goudie surname, ranking it #4,065 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,113, ranked #5,284, down from #4,065 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lerwick, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Shetland South, Lerwick North and Central Shetland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Goudie is 1,260 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 17.0%.

1881 census count

951

Ranked #4,065

Modern count

1,113

2016, ranked #5,284

Peak year

1901

1,260 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Goudie had 951 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,065 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,113 in 2016, ranked #5,284.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,260 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Goudie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Goudie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Goudie 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 491 #5,090
1861 historical 674 #3,983
1881 historical 951 #4,065
1891 historical 1,068 #3,933
1901 historical 1,260 #3,932
1911 historical 257 #12,658
1997 modern 1,036 #5,332
1998 modern 1,084 #5,321
1999 modern 1,091 #5,321
2000 modern 1,111 #5,231
2001 modern 1,085 #5,230
2002 modern 1,099 #5,279
2003 modern 1,070 #5,293
2004 modern 1,094 #5,212
2005 modern 1,087 #5,174
2006 modern 1,085 #5,193
2007 modern 1,094 #5,209
2008 modern 1,106 #5,196
2009 modern 1,143 #5,157
2010 modern 1,151 #5,237
2011 modern 1,127 #5,262
2012 modern 1,080 #5,371
2013 modern 1,099 #5,376
2014 modern 1,113 #5,343
2015 modern 1,112 #5,310
2016 modern 1,113 #5,284

Geography

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Where Goudies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lerwick, Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Paisley Abbey. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Shetland South, Lerwick North, Central Shetland, Lochside, Braehead and Whitletts and Lerwick South. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Lerwick Shetland
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Paisley Abbey Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Shetland South Shetland Islands
2 Lerwick North Shetland Islands
3 Central Shetland Shetland Islands
4 Lochside, Braehead and Whitletts South Ayrshire
5 Lerwick South Shetland Islands

Forenames

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First names often paired with Goudie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Goudie

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

Established but Challenged

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Goudie is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Goudie is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Goudie

The surname Goudie originated in Scotland, likely arising in the 14th or 15th century. It is derived from the Scottish Gaelic word "gòdaidh," meaning "greedy" or "gluttonous," and was likely originally a nickname for someone perceived as having such qualities. The name is also sometimes spelled as Goudy, Gowdy, or Gowdie.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the 1451 Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, where a John Gowdy is mentioned. The name is also found in the 16th-century Register of the Privy Council of Scotland, with references to individuals such as John Gowdie and Robert Gowdie.

In the 17th century, the name is found in various Scottish records, including the Parish Registers of Stirlingshire, where a Margaret Goudie is recorded in 1647. Additionally, a John Goudie is mentioned in the 1684 records of the Presbytery of Paisley.

The name has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such person is Robert Goudie (c. 1609-1671), a Scottish minister and early settler in New England, who served as the first pastor of the First Church in Taunton, Massachusetts, from 1638 to 1671.

Another prominent figure was William Goudie (1816-1893), a Scottish-born Canadian politician and businessman who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada and later as a member of the Canadian House of Commons.

In the realm of literature, John Goudie (1892-1959) was a Scottish poet and writer known for his works focusing on rural life in the Scottish Borders. His most notable work is the poetry collection "The Muir Burn" (1945).

Eliza Goudie (1813-1901) was a Canadian educator and author who established several successful schools in Ontario and wrote several books on education and child-rearing.

Finally, William Goudie (1796-1870) was a Scottish-born architect who designed numerous buildings in Montreal, Quebec, including the Mechanics' Institute (now the Atwater Library) and the Presbyterian College (now part of McGill University).

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Goudie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Goudie 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. Shetland leads with 279 Goudies recorded in 1881 and an index of 295.39x.

County Total Index
Shetland 279 295.39x
Lanarkshire 179 5.99x
Ayrshire 153 22.11x
Renfrewshire 116 16.19x
Midlothian 41 3.31x
Durham 36 1.31x
Lancashire 21 0.19x
Wigtownshire 14 11.40x
Angus 11 1.28x
Dunbartonshire 11 4.43x
Staffordshire 10 0.32x
Orkney 8 7.86x
Cheshire 7 0.34x
Derbyshire 6 0.41x
Roxburghshire 6 3.58x
Warwickshire 6 0.26x
Fife 5 0.91x
Stirlingshire 5 1.47x
Cumberland 4 0.50x
Essex 4 0.22x
Gloucestershire 3 0.17x
Kent 3 0.10x
Argyllshire 2 0.78x
Hampshire 2 0.11x
Kirkcudbrightshire 2 1.49x
Middlesex 2 0.02x
Royal Navy 2 1.81x
Surrey 2 0.04x
Anglesey 1 0.61x
Buteshire 1 1.78x
Clackmannanshire 1 1.31x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.49x
Northumberland 1 0.07x
Perthshire 1 0.24x
Selkirkshire 1 1.20x
Worcestershire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dunrossness in Shetland leads with 163 Goudies recorded in 1881 and an index of 1311.34x.

Place Total Index
Dunrossness 163 1311.34x
Govan 106 14.33x
Lerwick Gulberwick 58 396.72x
Barony 45 5.95x
Paisley High Church 44 77.11x
Nesting Lunnas Whalsay 30 360.58x
Paisley Middle Church 26 62.32x
Ayr 25 76.55x
Glasgow 25 4.71x
Kilmarnock 25 30.35x
Abbey 17 15.55x
Girvan 16 92.11x
South Leith 16 11.48x
St Quivox 16 68.38x
Westoe 16 10.26x
Tingwall 14 296.61x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 13 2.61x
Dundee 11 3.44x
Toxteth Park 11 2.96x
Walsall Foreign 10 6.20x
West Greenock 10 7.77x
Kirkoswald 9 159.29x
Maybole 9 42.71x
Riccarton 9 86.21x
Tarbolton 9 79.02x
Conside Knitsley 8 37.40x
Hartlepool 8 20.46x
Riccarton Hurlford 8 65.90x
Sorn 8 58.82x
Whiteness Weisdale 8 280.70x
Ancrum 6 138.25x
Derby St Werburgh 6 7.18x
Disley Stanley 6 57.09x
Dreghorn 6 47.89x
Kirkintilloch 6 17.77x
Kirkmichael 6 95.09x
Kirkmaiden 5 64.35x
Lochwinnoch 5 46.82x
Neilston 5 13.90x
Orphir 5 154.80x
Polmont 5 39.71x
East Greenock 4 5.91x
Irvine 4 20.81x
Kirkcaldy 4 14.73x
Kirkdale 4 2.17x
Mochrum 4 54.57x
North Leith 4 6.98x
Paisley Low Church 4 17.63x
Row 4 12.44x
Barrow In Furness 3 2.01x
Birmingham 3 0.39x
Bristol 3 175.44x
Edgbaston 3 4.15x
Edinburgh St Stephens 3 12.30x
Hensingham 3 46.08x
Ramsgate 3 5.83x
Sandsting Aitsting 3 35.05x
South Shields 3 12.24x
West Ham 3 0.74x
Dalkeith 2 8.18x
Dundonald 2 7.84x
Whithorn 2 21.37x
Bishopwearmouth 1 0.42x
Bonhill 1 2.51x
Borgue 1 27.86x
Clackmannan 1 6.93x
Cranston 1 31.65x
Dunoon 1 18.87x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 1 3.41x
Great Crosby 1 3.34x
Hartford 1 21.65x
Islington London 1 0.11x
Kilmalcolm 1 11.64x
Penninghame 1 7.99x
Rousay Egilshay 1 28.17x
Shapinshay 1 32.36x
Sorbie 1 18.62x
Stranraer 1 8.90x
Stromness 1 13.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 7
Elizabeth 5
Margaret 5
Jane 4
Janet 4
Barbara 2
Eliz. 2
Isabella 2
Jessie 2
Robina 2
Ann 1
Annie 1
Betsy 1
Christine 1
Eleanor 1
Elen 1
Ellen 1
Emma 1
Euphemia 1
Grace 1
Harriett 1
John 1
Lillah 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Wilimina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 15
William 9
John 5
Robert 5
Thomas 3
Arthur 2
Gavin 2
George 2
Lawrence 2
Adam 1
Alexr. 1
Bruce 1
Charles 1
David 1
Douglas 1
Elizabeth 1
Harry 1
Joseph 1
Malcolm 1
Peter 1
Thoms. 1
Walter 1
Wm.B. 1

FAQ

Goudie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Goudie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 951 people were recorded with the Goudie surname. That placed it at #4,065 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Goudie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,113 in 2016. That gives Goudie a modern rank of #5,284.

What does the Goudie surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the name Gowdae, possibly a Gaelic word related to "smith" or "metalworker".

What does the Goudie map show?

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