NameCensus.

UK surname

Goudy

Derived from the Old English personal name "Golda," meaning "gold," or from a place name meaning "good water."

In the 1881 census there were 79 people recorded with the Goudy surname, ranking it #22,357 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 87, ranked #32,476, down from #22,357 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hambleton, Mid Suffolk and Mid Argyll.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Goudy is 104 in 2003. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 10.1%.

1881 census count

79

Ranked #22,357

Modern count

87

2016, ranked #32,476

Peak year

2003

104 bearers

Map years

1

1998 to 1998

Key insights

  • Goudy had 79 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,357 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 87 in 2016, ranked #32,476.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 79 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Goudy surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Goudy surname density by area, 1998 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Goudy 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 39 #26,319
1861 historical 76 #24,114
1881 historical 79 #22,357
1891 historical 50 #30,253
1901 historical 53 #28,271
1911 historical 53 #27,508
1997 modern 97 #27,342
1998 modern 101 #27,479
1999 modern 96 #28,326
2000 modern 102 #27,425
2001 modern 101 #27,252
2002 modern 99 #28,082
2003 modern 104 #27,101
2004 modern 103 #27,503
2005 modern 94 #28,973
2006 modern 91 #29,725
2007 modern 91 #30,061
2008 modern 92 #30,286
2009 modern 96 #30,239
2010 modern 91 #31,497
2011 modern 85 #32,127
2012 modern 83 #32,611
2013 modern 88 #32,349
2014 modern 88 #32,495
2015 modern 88 #32,421
2016 modern 87 #32,476

Geography

Back to top

Where Goudys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hambleton, Mid Suffolk, Mid Argyll and Stockport. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hambleton 009 Hambleton
2 Mid Suffolk 005 Mid Suffolk
3 Mid Suffolk 007 Mid Suffolk
4 Mid Argyll Argyll and Bute
5 Stockport 023 Stockport

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Goudy

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Goudy

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

Goudy is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Goudy

The surname Goudy is believed to have originated in Scotland. It is derived from the Scottish Gaelic word 'gòdach', which means 'greedy' or 'gluttonous'. The name likely referred to someone with a hearty appetite or a tendency to overindulge in food and drink.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 13th century in the Scottish Lowlands. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John Gowdy, who was mentioned in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1264. The name was also found in various Scottish charters and records from the medieval period, with spellings such as Goudy, Gowdy, and Goudye.

In the 16th century, the Goudy family was prominent in the parish of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire. Records show that a Robert Goudy was a landowner in the area during this time. Another notable bearer of the name was John Goudy, a minister in the Church of Scotland who lived from 1617 to 1681.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Goudy surname spread across Scotland and into other parts of the United Kingdom. One notable figure was William Goudy, a Scottish merchant and plantation owner who lived from 1680 to 1737. He owned several plantations in Jamaica and was involved in the Caribbean sugar trade.

In the 19th century, the Goudy family had members who achieved prominence in various fields. One such individual was Robert Goudy, a Scottish architect who designed several notable buildings in Glasgow. He was born in 1803 and died in 1882. Another notable figure was Alexander Goudy, a Scottish-born American educator who lived from 1819 to 1896. He served as the president of Wabash College in Indiana.

Throughout history, the Goudy surname has been associated with various place names, such as Goudy's Croft in Ayrshire, Scotland, and Goudy's Hill in the West Indies. The name has also been spelled in various ways, including Gowdie, Gouidie, and Gowdey, reflecting the evolving nature of spelling conventions over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Goudy families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Goudy 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. Durham leads with 12 Goudys recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.24x.

County Total Index
Durham 12 5.24x
Berkshire 9 15.56x
Lanarkshire 9 3.61x
Suffolk 9 9.59x
Surrey 8 2.13x
Midlothian 6 5.81x
Northumberland 5 4.36x
Shetland 4 50.83x
Dunbartonshire 3 14.49x
Gloucestershire 3 1.99x
Lancashire 3 0.33x
Ayrshire 2 3.47x
Middlesex 2 0.26x
Angus 1 1.40x
Hampshire 1 0.63x
Hertfordshire 1 1.88x
Warwickshire 1 0.51x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Reading St Giles in Berkshire leads with 9 Goudys recorded in 1881 and an index of 158.73x.

Place Total Index
Reading St Giles 9 158.73x
Barony 7 11.10x
Lambeth 6 8.93x
Monkwearmouth 6 273.97x
North Leith 5 104.60x
Southwick 5 230.41x
Dunrossness 4 384.62x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 4 58.39x
Washbrook 4 4444.44x
Bonhill 3 90.36x
Cheltenham 3 25.73x
Rendlesham 3 3333.33x
Kirkdale 2 13.00x
Lesmahagow 2 76.05x
Snape 2 1538.46x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 12.90x
Alverstoke 1 17.48x
Aston 1 1.87x
Ayr 1 36.76x
Chelsea London 1 4.31x
Cheshunt 1 53.76x
Edinburgh St Marys 1 49.75x
Everton 1 3.43x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 1 10.07x
Kensington London 1 2.33x
Mains 1 163.93x
Maybole 1 56.82x
Newcastle On Tyne St 1 16.84x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ann 3
Mary 3
Elizabeth 2
Agnes 1
Anna 1
Annie 1
Betsey 1
Catharine 1
Charlotte 1
Ellen 1
Etheline 1
Gertrude 1
Harriet 1
Isabel 1
Jane 1
Jeanneth 1
Jessie 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Margaret 1
Margt. 1
Maria 1
Matilda 1

Top male names

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

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Goudy households.

FAQ

Goudy surname: questions and answers

How common was the Goudy surname in 1881?

In 1881, 79 people were recorded with the Goudy surname. That placed it at #22,357 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Goudy surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 87 in 2016. That gives Goudy a modern rank of #32,476.

What does the Goudy surname mean?

Derived from the Old English personal name "Golda," meaning "gold," or from a place name meaning "good water."

What does the Goudy map show?

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