Find out how popular the last name Goad is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Goad.

Goad, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Goad surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Goad in America

Goad is the 3920th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Goad surname appeared 9,062 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Goad.

We can also compare 2010 data for Goad to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Goad

The surname GOAD is believed to have originated in England, deriving from an Old English word 'gad' meaning a goad or stick used for driving cattle. This occupational surname was likely first adopted by someone who worked as a cattle herder or drover.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the GOAD surname dates back to the 13th century in Middlesex, England. In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a record of landowners, there is mention of a Walter le Gad. This early spelling variation highlights the name's origins.

During the medieval period, the GOAD name appeared in various records across England. In the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296, there is a reference to a John Gode. This spelling variation likely arose due to scribes recording the name phonetically.

The GOAD surname may also have ties to certain place names in England. For instance, the village of Godalming in Surrey is believed to have derived its name from an Old English phrase meaning 'the homestead where goad games were played'.

Notable historical figures bearing the GOAD surname include John Goad (c. 1616-1689), an English clergyman and author who served as the Provost of King's College, Cambridge. Another prominent individual was Thomas Goad (1576-1638), an English theologian and preacher who became the Head of Convocation for the Church of England.

In the 16th century, the GOAD surname can be found in parish records from various counties in England, such as Norfolk, Suffolk, and Oxfordshire. For example, in 1564, the baptism of Johanne Goad was recorded in Bungay, Suffolk.

During the 17th century, the GOAD name continued to appear in various English records. One notable figure from this era was Sir Roger Goad (1635-1691), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Yarmouth.

As the GOAD surname spread across England, it also found its way into other parts of the British Isles. In Scotland, records show instances of the name appearing in the 18th century, such as the birth of John Goad in Ayrshire in 1748.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Goad

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Goad.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Goad was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Goad has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Goad was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Goad, please contact us.

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