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

Goldsmith, 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 Goldsmith surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Goldsmith in America

Goldsmith is the 2229th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Goldsmith surname appeared 16,346 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname Goldsmith.

We can also compare 2010 data for Goldsmith 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 Goldsmith

The surname Goldsmith originated in England and Germany during the Middle Ages. It is an occupational surname, derived from the Old English words "golde" meaning gold and "smið" meaning smith or worker. The name refers to a craftsman who forged and worked with gold, creating jewelry, coins, and other precious metalwork.

In England, the name Goldsmith can be traced back to the 13th century. One of the earliest recorded instances is found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which lists a John le Goldsmyth in Oxfordshire. The Goldsmith surname also appears in various tax records and borough rolls from the 14th and 15th centuries across different counties in England.

In Germany, the surname Goldsmith (or variations like Goldschmidt, Goldschmied, and Goldsmit) emerged around the same time period. The name is documented in records from cities like Nuremberg, which had a thriving goldsmith trade during the Middle Ages. The Goldschmied family from Nuremberg produced several notable goldsmiths, including Hans Goldschmied (c.1460-1533), who created intricate works for royalty and nobility.

The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, does not include any direct references to the Goldsmith surname, as it primarily recorded landowners and tenants rather than occupational names. However, it does mention several individuals with the occupation of "aurifaber" or goldsmith, indicating the presence of this craft in England during the Norman period.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the Goldsmith surname is Robert le Goldsmyth, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1296. Another early figure was John Goldsmyth, a goldsmith from London who was appointed as the King's Goldsmith in 1336 by Edward III.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Goldsmith surname, including:

1. Oliver Goldsmith (1728-1774), an Irish novelist, playwright, and poet best known for works like "The Vicar of Wakefield" and "She Stoops to Conquer."

2. Sir James Goldsmith (1933-1997), a Anglo-French billionaire businessman and financier, known for his corporate raids and hostile takeovers.

3. Rebecca Goldsmith (1640-c.1696), an English Quaker writer and preacher who published several religious works.

4. Lewis Goldsmith (1763-1846), an English engraver and portrait painter who worked for the Royal Family and was appointed as the Engraver to the Mint.

5. John Goldsmith (1558-1629), an English composer and organist who served as the organist of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford.

The Goldsmith surname has also been associated with various place names, such as Goldsmithville in North Carolina, Goldsmith in Indiana, and Goldsmith's Gerry in Wiltshire, England, which was named after a local goldsmith family.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Goldsmith

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

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

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

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