Gosling
A surname derived from the Old English word "gosling," referring to a young goose.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 788 Americans carry the last name Gosling. That puts it at #33,499 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.23 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 434,967 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gosling surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
788
1 in 434,967
Census rank
#33,499
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
681
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 681 bearers of the surname Gosling in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.23 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 33499th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gosling, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.8%. The next largest groups are Black (3.7%) and Hispanic (2.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gosling
The surname Gosling is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "gosling," meaning a young goose or gosling. It likely originated as a descriptive nickname given to someone who kept or tended geese, or perhaps someone who exhibited characteristics associated with goslings, such as being noisy or clumsy.
The name first appeared in written records as early as the 13th century, with various spelling variations like Goslinge, Goseling, and Goselynge. One of the earliest recorded instances is found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, where a person named Richard Gosling is mentioned.
In the 14th century, the surname Gosling is found in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire, indicating its presence in the region. The 1379 Poll Tax records list a certain John Gosling from Acaster Malbis, a village near York.
The Gosling surname has been historically associated with several notable individuals. One of the earliest was Sir Francis Gosling (1476-1537), a prominent English merchant and Lord Mayor of London in 1537. Another notable figure was Robert Gosling (1588-1642), an English clergyman and author who served as a chaplain to King Charles I.
In the 18th century, the Gosling family established a successful banking business in London. Robert Gosling (1704-1779) founded the bank Goslings & Sharpe, which later became part of Barclays Bank. His son, Sir Francis Gosling (1735-1811), was a prominent banker and Member of Parliament.
Other notable individuals with the surname Gosling include:
1. James Gosling (born 1955), a Canadian computer scientist and the creator of the Java programming language.
2. Amanda Gosling (born 1976), a Canadian visual artist known for her intricate paper cut-outs.
3. Ray Gosling (1939-2015), an English journalist and broadcaster, known for his work on gay rights and euthanasia.
4. William Gosling (1824-1879), an English architect responsible for designing several churches and buildings in London.
5. John Gosling (1909-2001), an English cricketer who played for Gloucestershire and Cambridge University.
The Gosling surname has also been associated with various place names, such as Gosling Green in Buckinghamshire, England, and Gosling Close in Oxfordshire, further reflecting its English origins and historical presence across different regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gosling
Among Census respondents with the surname Gosling, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.8%. The next largest groups are Black (3.7%) and Hispanic (2.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Gosling bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Gosling surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.8%
- Black or African American3.7%
- Hispanic or Latino2.4%
- Two or more races1.5%
- Unknown or suppressed0.7%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Gosling surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #34,259 | #33,499 | 2.2% |
| Count | 626 | 681 | 8.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.23 | 0.23 | 0.0% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Gosling bearers went from 626 to 681 (+8.8% change). The surname moved up 760 positions in the national ranking, going from #34,259 to #33,499.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Gosling
FAQ
Gosling surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Gosling?
The surname Gosling holds position #33,499 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 788 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.23 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Gosling surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gosling, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.8%. The next largest groups are Black (3.7%) and Hispanic (2.4%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.