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

Goll, 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 Goll surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Goll in America

Goll is the 14612th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Goll surname appeared 2,037 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 Goll.

We can also compare 2010 data for Goll 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 Goll

The surname GOLL is of German origin, with roots dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old German word "gol," meaning "round" or "bulging." This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a nickname for someone with a rotund or stout physique.

In its earliest recorded instances, the name appeared in various forms, including Goll, Gol, and Golle, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation common in that era. One of the earliest documented references to the name can be found in the Wuerzburg Codex, a 13th-century manuscript from the Franconian region of Germany.

The Goll surname is closely associated with the town of Gollhofen, located in the state of Bavaria, Germany. This place name, which translates to "Goll's homestead," suggests that the surname may have originated from a specific individual or family residing in that area.

One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the GOLL surname was Hans Goll, a prominent merchant who lived in Nuremburg, Germany, during the 15th century (approximately 1420-1490). Another notable figure was Johann Goll, a German theologian and scholar who lived in the 16th century (1501-1564).

In the 17th century, the GOLL name gained prominence through the works of Johann Georg Goll, a German jurist and legal scholar (1620-1688). His contributions to the field of law and his influential writings helped to establish the GOLL surname as a respected and distinguished name in German society.

The 18th century saw the rise of Johann Valentin Goll, a German painter and engraver (1715-1785), whose artwork and engravings are still celebrated and exhibited in various museums and galleries across Europe.

Another notable bearer of the GOLL surname was Hermann Goll, a German Romantic poet and writer who lived in the 19th century (1807-1876). His literary works, which often explored themes of nature and the human condition, earned him recognition and critical acclaim during his lifetime.

Over the centuries, the GOLL surname has spread beyond its German origins, with descendants and families bearing the name found in various parts of Europe and even in North America. However, its roots can be traced back to the medieval period in the German-speaking regions of central Europe, where it emerged as a distinctive surname with a rich history and cultural significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Goll

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!