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

Goo, 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 Goo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Goo in America

Goo is the 20449th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Goo surname appeared 1,299 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Goo.

We can also compare 2010 data for Goo 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 Goo

The surname "Goo" is believed to have originated in England, with its earliest known records dating back to the late 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "go" or "goo," which referred to a small valley or a hollow between hills.

One of the earliest mentions of the name "Goo" can be found in the parish records of Staffordshire, where a John Goo was recorded as living in the village of Eccleshall in 1592. The name also appears in the Lancashire Parish Records, where a Thomas Goo was baptized in the town of Croston in 1617.

By the 17th century, the name had spread to other parts of England, with records showing families with the surname "Goo" residing in counties such as Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, and Somerset. In 1642, a William Goo was listed as a freeman in the town of Bridgwater, Somerset.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir John Goo (1620-1689), a prominent merchant and landowner from Dorset. He served as the High Sheriff of Dorset in 1674 and was knighted by King Charles II in 1681 for his services to the Crown.

Another notable figure with the surname "Goo" was Robert Goo (1725-1798), a renowned clockmaker from London. His intricate and beautifully crafted timepieces were highly sought after by the aristocracy and wealthy merchants of the time.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the name "Goo" was also found in various parts of the United States, likely due to immigration from England. One such individual was Samuel Goo (1785-1862), a farmer and miller who settled in Pennsylvania in the early 1800s.

In the early 20th century, a branch of the Goo family gained prominence in the field of medicine. Dr. Henry Goo (1876-1948), a pioneering surgeon from Yorkshire, made significant contributions to the development of modern surgical techniques.

It is worth noting that the surname "Goo" has also been associated with several place names in England, such as Goo Hill in Wiltshire and Goo Moor in Somerset, further reinforcing its connection to the landscape and topography of the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Goo

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

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

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

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