Goldston last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Goldston

A locational surname referring to someone from any of the places named Goldston in England.

Goldston, 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 Goldston surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Goldston in America

Goldston is the 14268th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Goldston surname appeared 2,099 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Goldston.

We can also compare 2010 data for Goldston 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 14268 13580 4.94%
Count 2,099 2,051 2.31%
Proportion per 100k 0.71 0.76 -6.80%

The history of the last name Goldston

The surname Goldston has its origins in England, tracing back to the 13th century. It is believed to be a locational name derived from a place called Goldeston or Goldhiston in Suffolk. The name likely originated from the Old English words "golde," meaning "golden," and "tun," meaning "enclosure" or "settlement."

During the medieval period, the name Goldston appeared in various historical records, such as the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk, dated 1273, where it was recorded as "Goldestone." This early reference suggests that the name was well-established in the region by that time.

In the 14th century, the Goldston family held substantial land and property in Norfolk and Suffolk. The Subsidy Rolls of 1327 mention a Walter de Goldeston, indicating the presence of the family in the area.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Goldston was John Goldston, born around 1420 in Suffolk. He was a prominent figure in the wool trade and served as a member of the local gild.

Another notable bearer of the name was Sir Thomas Goldston (1510-1585), a wealthy landowner and magistrate in Norfolk. He played a significant role in the local administration during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, the Goldston family had established themselves in various parts of England, including Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. One notable member was William Goldston (1632-1709), a respected clergyman and author of several theological works.

The 18th century saw the emergence of Edward Goldston (1744-1812), a successful merchant and philanthropist from London. He made substantial contributions to various charitable organizations and was known for his generosity.

As the centuries passed, the Goldston name spread across different regions of England and beyond. One of the most renowned figures was Sir Edmund Goldston (1876-1951), a distinguished diplomat who served as the British Ambassador to several countries, including China and Japan.

While the Goldston surname may have evolved over time with minor spelling variations, its origins can be traced back to the golden enclosure or settlement in Suffolk, reflecting the historical significance of the name in England's past.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Goldston

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

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 Goldston was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 50.12% 1,052
Non-Hispanic Black Only 43.02% 903
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.57% 12
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.52% 11
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 3.24% 68
Hispanic Origin 2.53% 53

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 Goldston has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 50.12% 53.44% -6.41%
Black 43.02% 42.13% 2.09%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.57% 0.59% -3.45%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.52% 0.39% 28.57%
Two or More Races 3.24% 2.34% 32.26%
Hispanic 2.53% 1.12% 77.26%

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

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

Reference this page

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"Goldston last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on December 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/goldston-surname-popularity/.

"Goldston last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/goldston-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 December, 2024

Goldston last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/goldston-surname-popularity/.

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