NameCensus.

UK surname

Gouldbourne

An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "muddy stream".

In the 1881 census there were 48 people recorded with the Gouldbourne surname, ranking it #26,869 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 131, ranked #26,004, up from #26,869 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Liverpool, Southwark and Leeds.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gouldbourne is 140 in 2012. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 172.9%.

1881 census count

48

Ranked #26,869

Modern count

131

2016, ranked #26,004

Peak year

2012

140 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gouldbourne had 48 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,869 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 131 in 2016, ranked #26,004.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 53 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Gouldbourne surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gouldbourne surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gouldbourne 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 13 #30,970
1861 historical 8 #32,887
1881 historical 48 #26,869
1891 historical 46 #30,657
1901 historical 52 #28,377
1911 historical 53 #27,508
1997 modern 102 #26,638
1998 modern 120 #24,793
1999 modern 119 #25,095
2000 modern 116 #25,452
2001 modern 112 #25,644
2002 modern 120 #25,110
2003 modern 118 #25,146
2004 modern 124 #24,559
2005 modern 121 #24,947
2006 modern 126 #24,493
2007 modern 121 #25,469
2008 modern 120 #25,922
2009 modern 126 #25,686
2010 modern 132 #25,519
2011 modern 136 #24,819
2012 modern 140 #24,376
2013 modern 135 #25,395
2014 modern 134 #25,711
2015 modern 131 #25,979
2016 modern 131 #26,004

Geography

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Where Gouldbournes 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 Liverpool, Southwark, Leeds, North Devon and New Forest. 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 Liverpool 009 Liverpool
2 Southwark 021 Southwark
3 Leeds 066 Leeds
4 North Devon 006 North Devon
5 New Forest 005 New Forest

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gouldbourne

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gouldbourne

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Gouldbourne is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gouldbourne 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

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

Meaning and origin of Gouldbourne

The surname Gouldbourne is of English origin and can be traced back to the 14th century. It is derived from a combination of two Old English words, "golde" meaning "golden" and "burna" meaning "stream" or "brook." This suggests that the name was originally a place name referring to a golden-colored stream or brook, likely in the counties of Somerset or Devon in southwest England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gouldbourne can be found in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1327, which listed a John de Gouldebourne residing in the county of Wiltshire. This indicates that the name had already been established as a surname by the early 14th century.

In the 15th century, the Gouldbourne family was mentioned in several manorial records in Somerset, where they held land and properties. One notable member was Thomas Gouldbourne, who served as a magistrate in the city of Bath in the late 1400s.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the spelling of the name varied, with variations such as Goldeborne, Gouldeborne, and Goulbourne appearing in parish registers and census records. In 1612, a Richard Gouldbourne was recorded as a freeman of the City of London, suggesting that some members of the family had migrated to the capital.

One notable bearer of the Gouldbourne name was Sir Henry Gouldbourne (1624-1698), a prominent English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for several constituencies, including Wiltshire and Salisbury. He was also a staunch supporter of the Glorious Revolution and played a role in the accession of William III and Mary II to the throne.

In the 18th century, the Gouldbourne family continued to hold prominence in Somerset and Wiltshire. William Gouldbourne (1742-1812) was a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in Bath, including the Assembly Rooms and the Octagon Chapel.

Another distinguished bearer of the name was Admiral Sir John Gouldbourne (1789-1857), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a Member of Parliament for Portsmouth.

While the name Gouldbourne is relatively uncommon today, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and has been borne by notable individuals in various fields, from law and politics to architecture and the military.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gouldbourne families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gouldbourne 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 20 Gouldbournes recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.60x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 20 3.60x
Cheshire 15 14.52x
Staffordshire 6 3.80x
Middlesex 4 0.85x
Westmorland 2 19.44x
Shropshire 1 2.47x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Withington in Lancashire leads with 13 Gouldbournes recorded in 1881 and an index of 726.26x.

Place Total Index
Withington 13 726.26x
Wolstanton Knutton 6 625.00x
Dodcott Cum Wilkesley 5 4545.45x
Bethnal Green London 4 19.68x
Liverpool 4 11.86x
Monks Coppenhall 4 102.56x
Newhall In Nantwich 4 3636.36x
Salford 2 12.25x
Undermilbeck 2 588.24x
Audlem 1 416.67x
Cheetham 1 24.15x
Drayton In Hales 1 120.48x
Liscard 1 53.76x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Alice 2
Amelia 2
Ann 2
Elizabeth 2
Martha 2
Mary 2
Sarah 2
Amy 1
Annie 1
Bessie 1
Edith 1
Jane 1
Joseph 1
Kate 1
Lucy 1
M. 1
Voilet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 6
James 3
Joseph 3
Jonathan 2
Arthur 1
Charles 1
Clement 1
Edward 1
Elic 1
Ernest 1
George 1
Henry 1
Percy 1
Thomas 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 Gouldbourne households.

FAQ

Gouldbourne surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gouldbourne surname in 1881?

In 1881, 48 people were recorded with the Gouldbourne surname. That placed it at #26,869 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gouldbourne surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 131 in 2016. That gives Gouldbourne a modern rank of #26,004.

What does the Gouldbourne surname mean?

An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "muddy stream".

What does the Gouldbourne map show?

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