NameCensus.

UK surname

Gough

From the Welsh surname Goch or Coch, meaning "red," likely referring to someone with red hair or a ruddy complexion.

In the 1881 census there were 8,770 people recorded with the Gough surname, ranking it #480 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 13,579, ranked #470, up from #480 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) and Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Powys, Wiltshire and South Derbyshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gough is 13,912 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 54.8%.

1881 census count

8,770

Ranked #480

Modern count

13,579

2016, ranked #470

Peak year

1999

13,912 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gough had 8,770 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #480 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 13,579 in 2016, ranked #470.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 12,014 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Gough surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gough surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gough 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 5,349 #517
1861 historical 5,532 #497
1881 historical 8,770 #480
1891 historical 9,367 #470
1901 historical 11,066 #472
1911 historical 12,014 #409
1997 modern 13,262 #460
1998 modern 13,893 #453
1999 modern 13,912 #456
2000 modern 13,785 #457
2001 modern 13,486 #457
2002 modern 13,761 #458
2003 modern 13,452 #457
2004 modern 13,418 #459
2005 modern 13,130 #462
2006 modern 13,152 #462
2007 modern 13,263 #463
2008 modern 13,346 #464
2009 modern 13,593 #469
2010 modern 13,841 #469
2011 modern 13,683 #467
2012 modern 13,381 #469
2013 modern 13,684 #470
2014 modern 13,827 #467
2015 modern 13,651 #469
2016 modern 13,579 #470

Geography

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Where Goughs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Powys, Wiltshire, South Derbyshire, Blaenau Gwent and Shropshire. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
3 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
4 London parishes London 3
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Powys 010 Powys
2 Wiltshire 011 Wiltshire
3 South Derbyshire 011 South Derbyshire
4 Blaenau Gwent 008 Blaenau Gwent
5 Shropshire 028 Shropshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gough

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gough

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

Gough is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gough falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Gough 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Gough

The surname Gough is of Welsh origin, derived from the Welsh personal name Coch, meaning "red" or "ruddy". It likely originated as a nickname for someone with reddish hair or a ruddy complexion. The name is thought to have emerged in the 13th or 14th century in Wales.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Gough can be found in medieval Welsh records and manuscripts. One notable example is Rhys Goch, a 14th-century Welsh military leader who fought alongside Owain Glyndwr during the Welsh Revolt against English rule.

The name Gough has also been associated with various place names in Wales, such as Gough's Wood in Monmouthshire and Gough's Castle in Pembrokeshire. These place names likely derived from individuals bearing the surname Gough who lived or owned property in those areas.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Gough was John Gough (c. 1490-1558), an English merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers in London. Another notable figure was Sir Henry Gough (1619-1689), a Welsh soldier and Member of Parliament during the English Civil War.

In the 18th century, John Gough (1721-1791) was a prominent English Baptist minister and author, known for his theological writings and his advocacy for religious freedom. Later, in the 19th century, Lord Hugh Gough (1779-1869) was a prominent British military commander who served in the Peninsular War and the First Anglo-Sikh War.

Another individual of note was Sir Hubert Gough (1870-1963), a British Army officer who commanded the Fifth Army during World War I and later served as the Director-General of the Territorial Army. Lastly, John Gough (1935-2022) was a British actor known for his role as the butler Alfred Pennyworth in the Batman film series.

These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have borne the surname Gough, demonstrating its Welsh origins and its presence across various fields and historical contexts.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gough families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gough 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. Staffordshire leads with 877 Goughs recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.03x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 877 3.03x
Lancashire 854 0.84x
Shropshire 777 10.50x
Middlesex 732 0.85x
Warwickshire 530 2.45x
Yorkshire 466 0.55x
Gloucestershire 444 2.64x
Surrey 364 0.87x
Wiltshire 360 4.75x
Cheshire 323 1.71x
Worcestershire 266 2.38x
Somerset 257 1.86x
Hampshire 211 1.20x
Berkshire 193 3.00x
Monmouthshire 191 3.08x
Derbyshire 152 1.13x
Herefordshire 145 4.13x
Glamorgan 139 0.93x
Kent 131 0.45x
Devon 129 0.72x
Oxfordshire 116 2.19x
Montgomeryshire 106 5.40x
Buckinghamshire 92 1.78x
Leicestershire 92 0.97x
Essex 71 0.42x
Dorset 65 1.16x
Durham 63 0.25x
Lanarkshire 48 0.17x
Northamptonshire 46 0.57x
Nottinghamshire 45 0.39x
Bedfordshire 41 0.92x
Northumberland 40 0.31x
Suffolk 38 0.36x
Midlothian 33 0.29x
Sussex 33 0.23x
Radnorshire 31 4.49x
Denbighshire 30 0.93x
Pembrokeshire 27 0.99x
Hertfordshire 25 0.42x
Flintshire 18 0.78x
Channel Islands 16 0.63x
Brecknockshire 15 0.88x
Cumberland 14 0.19x
Angus 12 0.15x
Caernarfonshire 12 0.35x
Carmarthenshire 12 0.33x
Huntingdonshire 10 0.59x
Lincolnshire 9 0.07x
Merionethshire 9 0.57x
Royal Navy 9 0.88x
Anglesey 8 0.53x
Cornwall 8 0.08x
Ayrshire 7 0.11x
Cambridgeshire 6 0.11x
Norfolk 5 0.04x
Renfrewshire 5 0.08x
Cardiganshire 4 0.19x
Fife 4 0.08x
Buteshire 3 0.58x
Wigtownshire 3 0.26x
Dumfriesshire 2 0.11x
Westmorland 2 0.11x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.01x
Perthshire 1 0.03x
Selkirkshire 1 0.13x
Stirlingshire 1 0.03x
West Lothian 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. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 260 Goughs recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.61x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 260 3.61x
Wolverhampton 165 7.42x
Aston 121 2.03x
Islington London 102 1.23x
Liverpool 89 1.44x
Lambeth 88 1.18x
Sedgley 73 6.80x
West Bromwich 72 4.35x
Stoke Upon Trent 71 2.32x
Bedminster 67 5.17x
Toxteth Park 61 1.77x
St Pancras London 59 0.86x
Walsall Foreign 59 3.95x
Stapenhill 57 28.55x
Dawley 56 20.80x
Manchester 56 1.23x
Battersea 54 1.71x
Broseley 54 41.06x
Portsea 54 1.57x
Wednesfield 54 12.69x
Salford 52 1.74x
St Marylebone London 49 1.07x
Chorlton On Medlock 48 2.97x
Madeley 47 17.32x
Kings Norton 46 4.59x
Newbury 45 21.85x
Clun 44 83.75x
Hackney London 44 0.92x
Hulme 44 2.07x
West Derby 43 1.45x
Darlaston 41 10.26x
Buckingham 39 37.03x
Shrewsbury St Mary 37 12.67x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 36 2.28x
Chelsea London 36 1.39x
Cliffe Pypard 36 158.45x
Leeds 35 0.73x
Hullavington 33 179.74x
Nottingham St Mary 33 1.11x
Sandiacre 33 68.97x
Bromley London 31 1.65x
Calne 31 19.88x
Thringstone 31 85.40x
Camberwell 30 0.55x
Cannock 30 5.95x
St Woollos 30 4.34x
Westbury On Trym 30 5.27x
Coventry Holy Trinity 29 4.50x
Mile End Old Town London 29 1.59x
Deptford St Paul 28 1.24x
Edgbaston 28 4.18x
Trevethin 28 4.79x
West Ham 28 0.75x
Aberdare 27 2.64x
Bedwellty 27 2.47x
Cheltenham 27 2.08x
Chippenham 27 17.00x
Hambledon 27 45.59x
Lyncombe Widcombe 27 7.48x
Kingswinford 26 2.48x
Bishops Castle In 25 57.92x
Harborne 25 2.70x
Kidderminster Borough 25 3.82x
Reading St Mary 25 4.85x
Stockport 25 2.57x
Warrington 25 2.07x
Westminster St John 25 2.40x
Clun Eddycliff 24 171.55x
Everton 24 0.74x
Kimberworth 24 5.09x
Warwick St Mary 24 12.80x
Wellington 24 5.77x
Bristol St James St Paul 23 4.11x
Halifax 23 1.85x
Shoreditch London 23 0.62x
Sutton Coldfield 23 10.13x
Tockenham 23 526.32x
Christchurch 22 11.49x
Clifton 22 2.59x
Dudley 22 1.62x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 627
Elizabeth 334
Sarah 294
Ann 183
Jane 168
Eliza 145
Emma 130
Ellen 120
Emily 109
Alice 105
Annie 102
Hannah 99
Margaret 84
Martha 82
Harriet 64
Caroline 63
Catherine 58
Fanny 58
Louisa 57
Charlotte 49
Ada 48
Edith 48
Florence 48
Lucy 45
Anne 44
Kate 41
Clara 39
Frances 36
Agnes 35
Maria 33
Harriett 28
Rose 28
Susan 27
Amelia 24
Esther 24
Minnie 24
Rebecca 24
Amy 22
Matilda 22
Julia 20
Ruth 18
Sophia 18
Selina 17
Elizth. 16
Jessie 16
Lydia 15
Bridget 14
Lilian 14
Rachel 14
Gertrude 13

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 563
John 490
Thomas 308
George 290
James 235
Henry 186
Charles 165
Joseph 162
Edward 142
Richard 138
Alfred 108
Arthur 101
Albert 69
Robert 69
Frederick 65
Samuel 60
Harry 55
Walter 50
Edwin 48
David 36
Ernest 36
Francis 34
Frank 29
Herbert 28
Benjamin 25
Peter 21
Wm. 17
Daniel 16
Michael 15
Owen 15
Thos. 14
Tom 13
Edgar 12
Fred 12
Geo. 11
Percy 11
Stephen 11
Hugh 10
Mark 10
Fredk. 9
Fredrick 9
Jesse 9
Patrick 9
Alexander 8
Harold 8
Jabez 8
Sidney 8
Isaac 7
Isaiah 7
Maurice 7

FAQ

Gough surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gough surname in 1881?

In 1881, 8,770 people were recorded with the Gough surname. That placed it at #480 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gough surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 13,579 in 2016. That gives Gough a modern rank of #470.

What does the Gough surname mean?

From the Welsh surname Goch or Coch, meaning "red," likely referring to someone with red hair or a ruddy complexion.

What does the Gough map show?

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