NameCensus.

UK surname

Gove

An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "gully, ravine, or narrow channel of water."

In the 1881 census there were 360 people recorded with the Gove surname, ranking it #8,596 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 530, ranked #9,572, down from #8,596 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Kenn, Ide, Ashton, Exminster and Laurencekirk. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stobswell, Arbroath Keptie and Montrose South.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gove is 560 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 47.2%.

1881 census count

360

Ranked #8,596

Modern count

530

2016, ranked #9,572

Peak year

1998

560 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gove had 360 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,596 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 530 in 2016, ranked #9,572.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 487 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Gove surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gove surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gove 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 225 #9,509
1861 historical 304 #8,340
1881 historical 360 #8,596
1891 historical 463 #7,902
1901 historical 487 #8,208
1911 historical 314 #11,077
1997 modern 534 #8,864
1998 modern 560 #8,793
1999 modern 554 #8,929
2000 modern 537 #9,118
2001 modern 521 #9,174
2002 modern 538 #9,132
2003 modern 531 #9,084
2004 modern 522 #9,218
2005 modern 515 #9,251
2006 modern 509 #9,355
2007 modern 525 #9,219
2008 modern 533 #9,182
2009 modern 553 #9,140
2010 modern 540 #9,491
2011 modern 537 #9,460
2012 modern 534 #9,391
2013 modern 539 #9,497
2014 modern 535 #9,594
2015 modern 533 #9,553
2016 modern 530 #9,572

Geography

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Where Goves are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Kenn, Ide, Ashton, Exminster, Laurencekirk, Glenbervie and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stobswell, Arbroath Keptie, Montrose South, Hillside and Teignbridge. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Kenn, Ide, Ashton, Exminster Devon
3 Laurencekirk Kincardine
4 Glenbervie Kincardine
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stobswell Dundee City
2 Arbroath Keptie Angus
3 Montrose South Angus
4 Hillside Angus
5 Teignbridge 004 Teignbridge

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gove

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gove

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Gove surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Gove household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Gove 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

Gove 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

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

Meaning and origin of Gove

The surname GOVE originated in England, with records dating back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "gofe," meaning "cave" or "pit." This suggests that the earliest bearers of the name may have lived near a cave or pit, or worked in such an environment.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the GOVE surname appears in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1195, where a person named William Gove is mentioned. The name also appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, further indicating its presence in medieval England.

The GOVE surname is closely associated with several place names in England, such as Gove Farm in Somerset and Gove Lane in Berkshire. These place names likely originated from the same Old English root word, reflecting the geographical connections of the surname.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the GOVE surname began to spread across various regions of England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Cambridgeshire. John Gove (c. 1320-1380), a renowned scholar and theologian from Cambridgeshire, is one of the earliest notable individuals with this surname.

In the 16th century, the GOVE surname gained prominence with the birth of Edward Gove (1545-1621), a successful merchant and landowner from Buckinghamshire. His descendants continued to contribute to the history and legacy of the GOVE name in England.

Other notable individuals bearing the GOVE surname include William Gove (1683-1758), a prominent lawyer and Member of Parliament for Hindon; Elizabeth Gove (1720-1786), a celebrated artist and portraitist; and James Gove (1794-1867), a renowned architect responsible for designing several churches and public buildings in London.

While the GOVE surname has its roots in England, it has also spread to other parts of the world through migration and exploration. Today, people bearing this surname can be found in various countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gove families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gove 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. Kincardineshire leads with 134 Goves recorded in 1881 and an index of 314.26x.

County Total Index
Kincardineshire 134 314.26x
Devon 65 8.92x
Angus 60 18.49x
Aberdeenshire 27 8.33x
Middlesex 12 0.34x
Midlothian 11 2.34x
Gloucestershire 9 1.31x
Lancashire 9 0.22x
Inverness-shire 7 6.69x
Kent 7 0.59x
Surrey 6 0.35x
West Lothian 3 5.69x
Essex 2 0.29x
Yorkshire 2 0.06x
Cornwall 1 0.25x
Durham 1 0.10x
Fife 1 0.48x
Royal Navy 1 2.40x
Wiltshire 1 0.32x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Montrose in Angus leads with 35 Goves recorded in 1881 and an index of 178.03x.

Place Total Index
Montrose 35 178.03x
Bervie 25 988.14x
Fordoun 22 920.50x
St Cyrus 21 1179.78x
Aberdeen Old Machar 19 28.06x
Benholm 18 983.61x
Christow 14 2000.00x
Glenbervie 13 1111.11x
Kinneff Catterline 12 1000.00x
Exminster 10 381.68x
Fetteresso 10 149.70x
Ashton 8 3478.26x
Tormoham 8 25.94x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 7 11.54x
Bootle Cum Linacre 7 21.21x
Exeter St Mary Major 7 159.45x
Inverness 7 26.62x
Laurencekirk 7 283.40x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 6 3.18x
Edmonton 6 21.26x
Kinnel 6 714.29x
Kirkden 6 295.57x
Lewisham 6 9.42x
Battersea 5 3.88x
Edinburgh St Stephens 5 54.17x
Menmuir 5 549.45x
Arbuthnott 4 412.37x
Bristol Temple 4 88.50x
Dundee 4 3.30x
Exeter St Paul 4 277.78x
Exeter St Sidwell 4 23.97x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 4 31.82x
Westminster St John 4 9.38x
Bathgate 3 26.20x
Exeter St David 2 32.10x
Holy Trinity 2 130.72x
Holy Trinity 2 2.40x
Abbotshall 1 12.90x
Aberlemno 1 83.33x
Banchory Devenick 1 25.13x
Bridford 1 192.31x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 1 1.55x
Careston 1 416.67x
Exeter St Edmund 1 63.69x
Exeter St Thomas The 1 13.46x
Fettercairn 1 55.25x
Fonthill Gifford 1 175.44x
Great Crosby 1 8.83x
Holcombe Burnell 1 384.62x
Kenton 1 43.48x
Logie Pert 1 83.33x
Longside 1 25.84x
Milton In Milton 1 19.69x
Monkwearmouth Shore 1 4.92x
Moreton Hampstead 1 53.19x
Paddington London 1 0.78x
Pelynt 1 123.46x
Salford 1 0.82x
St Marylebone London 1 0.53x
St Vigeans 1 5.71x
Walthamstow 1 4.02x
Wanstead 1 8.26x
Wimbledon 1 5.22x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Elizabeth 4
Annie 3
Eliza 3
Ann 2
Elizth. 2
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Florence 2
Harriet 2
Jane 2
Louisa 2
Matilda 2
Sarah 2
Amy 1
Bessie 1
Catherine 1
Charity 1
Charlotte 1
Elizbth. 1
Emma 1
Fanny 1
Hannah 1
Jessie 1
Laura 1
Mabel 1
Margaret 1
Margoret 1
Martha 1
Maude 1
Susan 1
Thirza 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 9
George 8
William 7
James 6
Thomas 4
Charles 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Edward 2
Ernest 2
Henry 2
Samuel 2
Ambrose 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Edgar 1
Edmund 1
Fred 1
Joseph 1
Lenard 1
Lewes 1
Nicholas 1
Peter 1
Saml.F. 1

FAQ

Gove surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gove surname in 1881?

In 1881, 360 people were recorded with the Gove surname. That placed it at #8,596 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gove surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 530 in 2016. That gives Gove a modern rank of #9,572.

What does the Gove surname mean?

An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "gully, ravine, or narrow channel of water."

What does the Gove map show?

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