2000
#13,580
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,051
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.76
Rare Last name
Goldston
A locational surname referring to someone from any of the places named Goldston in England.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,220 Americans carry the last name Goldston. That puts it at #14,724 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.65 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 154,394 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Goldston 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 Goldston with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.2K
1 in 154,394
Census rank
#14,724
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,936 bearers of the surname Goldston in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.65 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14724th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Goldston, the largest self-reported group is White at 49.7%. The next largest groups are Black (40.0%) and Two or More Races (6.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Goldston
Among Census respondents with the surname Goldston, the largest self-reported group is White at 49.7%. The next largest groups are Black (40.0%) and Two or More Races (6.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Goldston 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 Goldston surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White49.7% · 962
- Black or African American40.0% · 775
- Two or more races6.2% · 120
- Hispanic or Latino3.2% · 62
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 10
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 7
Timeline
Historical Census data for Goldston
Goldston 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
#14,268
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,099
+48 bearers (+2.3%)
Per 100,000 0.71
Rank movement Down 688 places
2020
#14,724
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,936
-163 bearers (-7.8%)
Per 100,000 0.65
Rank movement Down 456 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #13,580 | 2,051 | 0.76 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #14,268 | 2,099 | 0.71 | +48 bearers (+2.3%) | Down 688 places |
| 2020 | #14,724 | 1,936 | 0.65 | -163 bearers (-7.8%) | Down 456 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 Goldston 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 | #14,268 | #14,724 | -3.2% |
| Count | 2,099 | 1,936 | -7.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.71 | 0.65 | -8.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Goldston bearers went from 2,099 to 1,936 (-7.8% change). The surname moved down 456 positions in the national ranking, going from #14,268 to #14,724.
FAQ
Goldston surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Goldston?
Name Census estimates that about 2,220 living Americans carry the surname Goldston. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 154,394 residents.
How common is Goldston?
Goldston ranks #14,724 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.65 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,936 people with the surname Goldston. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,220), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.65 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.65 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Goldston.
Has Goldston become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Goldston went from 2,099 recorded bearers to 1,936. That is a decrease of 163 (-7.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #14,268 to #14,724.
What does the Census say about the background of Goldston?
Among Census respondents with the surname Goldston, the largest self-reported group is White at 49.7%. The next largest groups are Black (40.0%) and Two or More Races (6.2%). 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 Goldston in the 2020 Census, accounting for 49.7% (962 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Goldston appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (49.7%), Black (40.0%), Two or More Races (6.2%). 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 Goldston (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 Goldston mean?
A locational surname referring to someone from any of the places named Goldston 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 Goldston (0.65 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 share the surname Goldston?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.