2000
#149,328
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Goolesby
A habitational name from a location in England, potentially originating from Goldsby in Worcestershire.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 125 Americans carry the last name Goolesby. That puts it at #150,205 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,742,035 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Goolesby 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.
Bearers in the US
125
1 in 2,742,035
Census rank
#150,205
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
109
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 109 bearers of the surname Goolesby in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150205th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Goolesby, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.9%. The next largest groups are Black (14.7%) and Two or More Races (4.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Goolesby
The surname Goolesby originated in England, with its roots dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "golde" and "ley," which translates to "golden meadow." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with a particular location or settlement characterized by its verdant, golden-hued fields.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Goolesby can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive record of landholdings across England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This ancient document mentions a family bearing the name Goolesby, residing in the county of Lincolnshire.
During the Middle Ages, the name Goolesby appeared in various medieval manuscripts and records, albeit with slight variations in spelling, such as "Gouldesbie," "Gouldesby," and "Goldlesbye." These variations were common due to the inconsistent orthographic practices of the time.
In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the Goolesby name was Sir John Goolesby (1525-1589), a prominent landowner and Member of Parliament who represented the county of Lincolnshire. His family was known for their extensive landholdings in the region.
Another notable individual was Lady Elizabeth Goolesby (1610-1672), a philanthropist and patron of the arts, who was renowned for her support of local churches and educational institutions in the county of Lincolnshire.
In the 18th century, the name Goolesby was associated with the village of Goolesby, located in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire. This place name likely derived from the surname itself, reflecting the historical presence of the Goolesby family in the area.
One of the most prominent figures from this period was Sir William Goolesby (1745-1823), a successful merchant and landowner who made significant contributions to the development of the town of Goolesby. His legacy includes the construction of several notable buildings and the establishment of various charitable foundations.
During the 19th century, the Goolesby name gained further recognition with the achievements of Sir Henry Goolesby (1820-1895), a renowned explorer and naturalist. His expeditions to various parts of the world led to the discovery of several new plant and animal species, which were named in his honor.
These are just a few examples of the individuals who have carried the surname Goolesby throughout history, reflecting its longstanding presence and significance within the English cultural landscape.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Goolesby
Among Census respondents with the surname Goolesby, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.9%. The next largest groups are Black (14.7%) and Two or More Races (4.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Goolesby 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 Goolesby surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White78.9% · 86
- Black or African American14.7% · 16
- Two or more races4.6% · 5
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Goolesby
Goolesby 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
#118,853
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 146
+45 bearers (+44.6%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 30,475 places
2020
#150,205
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
-37 bearers (-25.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 31,352 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #149,328 | 101 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #118,853 | 146 | 0.05 | +45 bearers (+44.6%) | Up 30,475 places |
| 2020 | #150,205 | 109 | 0.04 | -37 bearers (-25.3%) | Down 31,352 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 Goolesby 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 | #118,853 | #150,205 | -26.4% |
| Count | 146 | 109 | -25.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -27.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Goolesby bearers went from 146 to 109 (-25.3% change). The surname moved down 31,352 positions in the national ranking, going from #118,853 to #150,205.
FAQ
Goolesby surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Goolesby?
Name Census estimates that about 125 living Americans carry the surname Goolesby. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,742,035 residents.
How common is Goolesby?
Goolesby ranks #150,205 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 109 people with the surname Goolesby. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (125), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Goolesby.
Has Goolesby become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Goolesby went from 146 recorded bearers to 109. That is a decrease of 37 (-25.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #118,853 to #150,205.
What does the Census say about the background of Goolesby?
Among Census respondents with the surname Goolesby, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.9%. The next largest groups are Black (14.7%) and Two or More Races (4.6%). 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 Goolesby in the 2020 Census, accounting for 78.9% (86 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Goolesby appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (78.9%), Black (14.7%), Two or More Races (4.6%). 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 Goolesby (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 Goolesby mean?
A habitational name from a location in England, potentially originating from Goldsby in Worcestershire. 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 Goolesby (0.04 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 Americans have the surname Goolesby?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.