NameCensus.

UK surname

Goulbourne

A habitational name referring to a location in England called Gulbourne or Golborne.

In the 1881 census there were 49 people recorded with the Goulbourne surname, ranking it #26,735 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 502, ranked #9,961, up from #26,735 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to North Meols, Altcar and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ipswich, Sefton and Wigan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Goulbourne is 516 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 924.5%.

1881 census count

49

Ranked #26,735

Modern count

502

2016, ranked #9,961

Peak year

2010

516 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Goulbourne had 49 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,735 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 502 in 2016, ranked #9,961.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 150 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Goulbourne surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Goulbourne surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Goulbourne 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 19 #29,904
1861 historical 27 #30,543
1881 historical 49 #26,735
1891 historical 113 #22,162
1901 historical 142 #18,633
1911 historical 150 #17,866
1997 modern 419 #10,625
1998 modern 410 #11,143
1999 modern 437 #10,717
2000 modern 437 #10,684
2001 modern 442 #10,388
2002 modern 471 #10,076
2003 modern 450 #10,293
2004 modern 451 #10,301
2005 modern 440 #10,382
2006 modern 450 #10,237
2007 modern 471 #9,992
2008 modern 483 #9,890
2009 modern 496 #9,929
2010 modern 516 #9,808
2011 modern 513 #9,765
2012 modern 484 #10,106
2013 modern 496 #10,080
2014 modern 495 #10,145
2015 modern 490 #10,149
2016 modern 502 #9,961

Geography

Back to top

Where Goulbournes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around North Meols, Altcar, Liverpool, Leigh and Delamere. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ipswich, Sefton, Wigan, Cheshire West and Chester and Lewisham. 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 North Meols Lancashire
2 Altcar Lancashire
3 Liverpool Lancashire
4 Leigh Lancashire
5 Delamere Cheshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ipswich 010 Ipswich
2 Sefton 016 Sefton
3 Wigan 025 Wigan
4 Cheshire West and Chester 022 Cheshire West and Chester
5 Lewisham 005 Lewisham

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Goulbourne

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Goulbourne

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Goulbourne surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Goulbourne 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Goulbourne 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

Goulbourne is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Goulbourne falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Goulbourne is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Goulbourne

The surname Goulbourne is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "gol" meaning "muddy" and "burna" meaning "stream." This suggests that the name may have originated in an area with a muddy stream or brook. The name is believed to have emerged in the Middle Ages, around the 12th or 13th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Goulbourne can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire from 1188, where it appears as "Goldeburna." This indicates that the name was likely associated with a specific location or settlement named Goldeburna at that time.

The Goulbourne surname is also mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where it appears as "Goldburne." This variation in spelling highlights the evolution of the name over time and across different regions.

In the 16th century, the Goulbourne name was present in the Parish Registers of Warwickshire, where it was recorded as "Goulborne" and "Goulbourne." This suggests that the name had become more standardized in its modern spelling by this point.

One notable individual bearing the Goulbourne surname was Sir Edward Goulbourne (1548-1625), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Leicestershire in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.

Another significant figure was John Goulbourne (1639-1721), an English clergyman and author who served as the Dean of Norwich from 1694 until his death.

In the 18th century, Richard Goulbourne (1730-1802) was a prominent English lawyer and judge who served as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Judicature in Madras, India.

The 19th century saw the birth of Henry Goulbourne (1815-1892), an English-born Australian explorer and surveyor who played a crucial role in the exploration and mapping of the Australian outback.

More recently, Peter Goulbourne (1924-2010) was a British artist and sculptor known for his work in abstract expressionism and his contributions to the St Ives art colony in Cornwall.

While the Goulbourne surname is not among the most common in England, its rich history and connections to various regions and notable individuals make it a fascinating name to explore.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Goulbourne families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Goulbourne 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. Lancashire leads with 38 Goulbournes recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.70x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 38 6.70x
Cheshire 6 5.69x
Denbighshire 4 22.16x
Anglesey 1 11.81x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Everton in Lancashire leads with 14 Goulbournes recorded in 1881 and an index of 77.43x.

Place Total Index
Everton 14 77.43x
Walton On Hill 9 293.16x
Liverpool 6 17.42x
Acton 4 8000.00x
Bootle Cum Linacre 3 66.67x
Maghull 3 1250.00x
Great Boughton 2 555.56x
Monks Coppenhall 2 50.25x
Holyhead 1 63.29x
Horton 1 5000.00x
Newton By Chester 1 2500.00x
Sefton 1 1666.67x
Thornton In Sefton 1 2000.00x
West Derby 1 6.03x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 3
Margaret 3
Mary 3
Anastasia 2
Ellen 2
Jane 2
Sarah 2
Alice 1
Ann 1
Catherine 1
Eliza 1
Emily 1
Frances 1
Harriet 1
Letitia 1
Martha 1
Rose 1
Susanah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 5
James 2
Richard 2
Thomas 2
William 2
Ellis 1
Francis 1
George 1
Henry 1
Robert 1
Robt. 1
Wm. 1

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 Goulbourne households.

FAQ

Goulbourne surname: questions and answers

How common was the Goulbourne surname in 1881?

In 1881, 49 people were recorded with the Goulbourne surname. That placed it at #26,735 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Goulbourne surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 502 in 2016. That gives Goulbourne a modern rank of #9,961.

What does the Goulbourne surname mean?

A habitational name referring to a location in England called Gulbourne or Golborne.

What does the Goulbourne map show?

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