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Goforth Family History

Goforth Surname Meaning

English (East Yorkshire): from the Middle English phrase go fair ‘travel safely’ later altered to Goforth perhaps through confusion with Garforth.

In some cases probably also an Americanized form of German Goffart or of its very rare variant Goffarth: from a Lower Rhine variant of the personal name Gottfried.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Goforth family from?

You can see how Goforth families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Goforth family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Goforth families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 67 Goforth families living in Yorkshire. This was about 89% of all the recorded Goforth's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Goforth families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Goforth 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 Goforth ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Farmer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Goforth. 34% of Goforth men worked as a Farmer and 89% of Goforth women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Goforth were Farm Labourer and Domestic Service.

View Census Data for Goforth | 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

  • Farmer
    34%
  • General Labourer
    17%
  • Horseman On Farm
    17%
  • Farm Labourer
    17%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    89%
  • Domestic Servant
    6%
  • Domestic Service
    6%

What Goforth family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 23,000 census records available for the last name Goforth. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Goforth census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Goforth

Passenger Lists

There are 795 immigration records available for the last name Goforth. 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 Goforth immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 6,000 military records available for the last name Goforth. For the veterans among your Goforth ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Goforth military records

You've only scratched the surface of Goforth family history

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What is the average Goforth lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Goforth life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Goforth in 1942 was 26, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Goforth

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Goforth 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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