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Goff Family History

Goff Surname Meaning

English: if originally pronounced with a soft G- this is from the Middle English personal name Goff(e) Joff(e) a short form of Geoffrey (see Jeffrey).

English (of Cornish and Breton origin): occupational name from Cornish and Breton goff ‘smith’ (cognate with Gaelic gobha). The surname is common in East Anglia where it is of Breton origin introduced by followers of William the Conqueror.

Welsh and Cornish: nickname from a variant of Welsh or Cornish coch goch ‘red(-haired)’; see Gough.

Irish (Wexford): shortened form of McGoff. In some cases possibly also Breton (mainly Finistère; mainly Le Goff): see Le Goff.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Goff family from?

You can see how Goff families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Goff family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Goff families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 484 Goff families living in London. This was about 23% of all the recorded Goff's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Goff families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Goff surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Goff ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Goff. 11% of Goff men worked as a General Labourer and 69% of Goff women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Goff were Builders Labourer and Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Goff | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    11%
  • Bricklayer
    7%
  • Farm Labourer
    6%
  • Builders Labourer
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    69%
  • Housewife
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Domestic Duties
    3%

What Goff family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 174,000 census records available for the last name Goff. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Goff census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Goff

Passenger Lists

There are 15,000 immigration records available for the last name Goff. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Goff immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 33,000 military records available for the last name Goff. For the veterans among your Goff ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Goff military records

You've only scratched the surface of Goff family history

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What is the average Goff lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Goff life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Goff in 1944 was 29, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Goff

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Goff ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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