2000
#123,314
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 129
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Golby
A surname believed to be derived from a place name in England.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 114 Americans carry the last name Golby. That puts it at #156,005 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 3,006,617 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Golby surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Golby with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
114
1 in 3,006,617
Census rank
#156,005
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
99
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 99 bearers of the surname Golby in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 156005th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Golby, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Golby
The surname Golby has its origins in England, with records dating back to the late 16th century. It is believed to have derived from a topographic name, referring to someone who lived near a golfer's dwelling or a golf course. The name may also be connected to the Old English word "golb," meaning a round lump or ball, potentially referring to a physical characteristic or occupation.
One of the earliest known mentions of the surname Golby can be found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Warwickshire, where a John Golby was christened in 1598. In the 17th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Golbie, Golbie, and Golbey, reflecting the variations in spelling common during that time.
The Golby surname has been documented in several historical records, including the Hearth Tax Rolls of 1674, which listed a Thomas Golby in Oxfordshire. Additionally, the Poll Books of 1715 recorded a John Golby as a freeholder in Warwickshire.
One notable individual bearing the Golby surname was Sir John Golby (1640-1712), a wealthy landowner and Member of Parliament for Warwick in the late 17th century. Another prominent figure was William Golby (1798-1872), a successful businessman and philanthropist from Staffordshire, who made significant contributions to his local community.
Other individuals of note include:
1. Robert Golby (1776-1854), a renowned clockmaker from Coventry, known for his intricate longcase clocks.
2. Elizabeth Golby (1813-1891), a pioneering educator and founder of one of the first girls' schools in Worcestershire.
3. Henry Golby (1857-1932), a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in Birmingham during the late Victorian era.
4. Emily Golby (1874-1958), a celebrated author and poet whose works explored themes of nature and rural life in the English countryside.
5. George Golby (1912-1998), a decorated World War II veteran and recipient of the Military Cross for his bravery during the Battle of Normandy.
While the Golby surname may not be among the most common in England, its long history and diverse bearers have left an indelible mark on various aspects of British society, from politics and business to arts and literature.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Golby
Among Census respondents with the surname Golby, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Golby bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Golby surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White99.0% · 98
- Two or more races1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Golby
Golby appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#132,206
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 128
-1 bearers (-0.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 8,892 places
2020
#156,005
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 99
-29 bearers (-22.7%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 23,799 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #123,314 | 129 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #132,206 | 128 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.8%) | Down 8,892 places |
| 2020 | #156,005 | 99 | 0.03 | -29 bearers (-22.7%) | Down 23,799 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Golby surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #132,206 | #156,005 | -18.0% |
| Count | 128 | 99 | -22.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -17.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Golby bearers went from 128 to 99 (-22.7% change). The surname moved down 23,799 positions in the national ranking, going from #132,206 to #156,005.
FAQ
Golby surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Golby?
Name Census estimates that about 114 living Americans carry the surname Golby. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 3,006,617 residents.
How common is Golby?
Golby ranks #156,005 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 99 people with the surname Golby. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (114), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Golby.
Has Golby become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Golby went from 128 recorded bearers to 99. That is a decrease of 29 (-22.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #132,206 to #156,005.
What does the Census say about the background of Golby?
Among Census respondents with the surname Golby, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.0%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Golby in the 2020 Census, accounting for 99.0% (98 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Golby appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (99.0%), Two or More Races (1.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Golby (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Golby mean?
A surname believed to be derived from a place name in England. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Golby (0.03 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Golby?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Golby on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.