Goulden History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany
Israel
Ireland
Scotland

Etymology of Goulden

What does the name Goulden mean?

Goulden is an ancient Anglo-Saxon name that is derived from the son of Goldwin. In Old English, patronyms were formed by adding a variety of suffixes to personal names, which changed over time and from place to place. For example, after the Norman Conquest, sunu and sune, which meant son, were the most common patronymic suffixes. In the 12th and 13th centuries, the most common patronymic names included the word filius, which meant son. By the 14th century, the suffix son had replaced these earlier versions. Surnames that were formed with filius or son were more common in the north of England and it was here that the number of individuals without surnames was greatest at this time.

Early Origins of the Goulden family

The surname Goulden was first found in Oxfordshire where the first two records of the family appear in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273: Nicholas Goldin, Oxfordshire; and Thomas Goldine, Oxfordshire. The same rolls included Golding Palmarius, Kent; Hilde Golden, Cambridgeshire; and Hugo Golding, Suffolk. 1

In Hampshire, Walter Guldene, le Gelden was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls for 1212 and later in Cambridgeshire, Hilde Golden was registered in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1279. 2

Later the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed Willelmus Goldyng; Robertus Goldyng, pelliparius; and Isabella Goldyng, Howdenshire. 1

Changes between the different suffixes were common as "the family of Golden, Broad Chalke, Wiltshire, are entered Golding in 1563; Goulden, 1707; and Golden, 1672." 1

Up in Scotland one of the family achieved notoriety of a different sort: "The rashness of a Scots soldier, Ralph Golding, at the bridge of Rokesburgh in 1333 led to Sir Andrew Moray of Bothwell, the Regent, being taken prisoner by the English." 3

Early History of the Goulden family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Goulden research. Another 68 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1559, 1688 and 1776 are included under the topic Early Goulden History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Goulden Spelling Variations

Goulden has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Goulden have been found, including Golden, Goldin, Goulden, Gouldin, Goulton and many more.

Early Notables of the Goulden family

Another 42 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Goulden Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Goulden family to Ireland

Some of the Goulden family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 64 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Goulden migration to the United States +

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Gouldens to arrive on North American shores:

Goulden Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

John Goulden, who arrived in Maryland in 1664 4
Philip Goulden, who landed in Maryland in 1679 4

Goulden migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Goulden Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. John Goulden, English convict who was convicted in York, Yorkshire, England for life, transported aboard the "Emperor Alexander"on 6th April 1833, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1843 5
Mr. Patrick Goulden, British Convict who was convicted in Liverpool, Merseyside, England for life, transported aboard the "Dudbrook" on 17th November 1852, arriving in Western Australia 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Goulden (post 1700) +

Joseph Aloysius Goulden (1844-1915), American Democratic Party politician, U.S. Representative from New York, 1903-11, 1913-15 7
Henry F. Goulden, American Democratic Party politician, National Democratic Candidate for U.S. Representative from New York 4th District, 1898 7
Roy Leonard Goulden (b. 1937), English former professional footballer, son of Len Goulden
Leonard Arthur "Len" Goulden (1912-1995), English footballer who played from 1931 to 1950, member of the England National Team (1937-1939)
Richard Reginald Goulden (1876-1932), British sculptor
Mark Goulden, British journalist and publisher
Sir John Goulden (b. 1941), British retired diplomat, Ambassador to Turkey (1992-1995), Permanent Representative to the North Atlantic Council (1995-2001)

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 11th April 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/emperor-alexander
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 23rd July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/dudbrook
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 21) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html