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

Goforth, 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 Goforth surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Goforth in America

Goforth is the 4068th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Goforth surname appeared 8,735 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 Goforth.

We can also compare 2010 data for Goforth 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 Goforth

The surname Goforth originated in England and Scotland during the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the old English phrase "go forth," which meant to venture out or travel. This name was likely given to someone who journeyed frequently or lived a nomadic lifestyle.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Goforth can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, England, from the late 13th century. Here, it was spelled as "Gofurth." This spelling variation suggests that the name evolved over time through regional dialects and scribal errors.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various forms, such as "Gofurth," "Goforthe," and "Goforth," in records from counties like Wiltshire, Somerset, and Gloucestershire in England. The spelling "Goforth" became more standardized by the 16th and 17th centuries.

The name Goforth is also linked to certain place names in England, such as Goforth Hill in Gloucestershire and Goforth Marsh in Somerset. These locations may have influenced the surname's development or served as residences for early bearers of the name.

Notable individuals with the surname Goforth include William Goforth (1576-1658), an English clergyman and author known for his religious writings. John Goforth (1845-1920) was a Canadian Presbyterian missionary who served in China during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

In Scotland, the name has connections to the Goforth family of Lanarkshire, where Sir John Goforth (1633-1705) was a prominent landowner and member of the Scottish Parliament. Another notable figure was James Goforth (1679-1749), a Scottish merchant and shipowner based in Glasgow.

The Goforth surname also found its way to the American colonies in the 17th and 18th centuries. One of the earliest recorded individuals was William Goforth (1627-1695), an English Quaker who settled in Pennsylvania and became a prominent landowner.

Throughout its history, the surname Goforth has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including clergymen, missionaries, merchants, landowners, and politicians. While the name's origins are rooted in the concept of travel and exploration, it has become a distinctive surname with a rich heritage across different regions and cultures.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Goforth

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

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 Goforth 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 Goforth 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 Goforth was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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