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

Goulding, 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 Goulding surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Goulding in America

Goulding is the 12865th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Goulding surname appeared 2,393 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 Goulding.

We can also compare 2010 data for Goulding 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 Goulding

The surname Goulding is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "golde" meaning "yellow" or "golden-haired." It was initially a nickname given to someone with yellow or golden hair, which later became a hereditary surname.

The earliest recorded instance of the Goulding surname dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Goldwin" and "Goldwine." These early spellings suggest the name's connection to the Old English words "golde" and "wine," meaning "friend" or "protector."

During the Middle Ages, the Goulding surname was prevalent in various regions of England, including Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex. The name was also found in the Lincolnshire area, where it was sometimes spelled as "Golding" or "Goulden."

One notable historical figure with the Goulding surname was Arthur Goulding (1537-1612), an English divine and academic who served as the Warden of Merton College, Oxford. He was a renowned scholar and author of several religious works.

In the 17th century, John Goulding (1633-1700) was a prominent English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Salisbury. He was also a successful merchant and landowner.

Another notable individual was Edmund Goulding (1621-1697), an English Puritan minister and author who played a significant role in the religious debates of his time. His writings on theology and church governance were highly influential.

The Goulding surname also has connections to place names in England. For instance, the village of Goulding Green in Suffolk is believed to have derived its name from the Goulding family who resided there.

Reverend Edward Goulding (1735-1816) was an English clergyman and author who served as the Dean of Salisbury Cathedral. He was known for his literary works and contributions to the field of theology.

As the Goulding family spread across different regions of England, variations in spelling emerged, such as "Golding," "Goulden," and "Goulden." These variations were often influenced by local dialects and the preferences of individual scribes or record-keepers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Goulding

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

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

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

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