Show ContentsGuild History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Guild

What does the name Guild mean?

The Anglo-Saxon name Guild comes from the Old English word Gold. This term was often used as an endearment or show of affection. 1

"This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. 'the son of Gold.' from the Anglo-Saxon word gold, metaphorically precious." 2

Another source notes the name denotes a "descendant of Gold or Golda, Old English personal names derived from the metal." 3

Early Origins of the Guild family

The surname Guild was first found in Suffolk where Hugo filius Goldce was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086. 4 "Golde and Goldus are personal names in the Domesday Book" 2

Other early records include: Ralph filius Golde registered in the Pipe Rolls for Bedfordshire in 1193; Golde Bassat in the Hundredorum Rolls of Cheshire in 1279; Walter Golde in the Pipe Rolls for Devon in 1165; Ralph Golde in the Assize Rolls for Somerset in 1268; and John Gulde in Cornwall in 1297. 1

The Hundredorum Rolls has the name listed as a forename and a surname: Adam Gold; Golda Imayn; and Golda Bassat, Cambridgeshire. 2

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls includes Willelmus Golde, 1370; and Ricardus Gold, 1379.

In Scotland, more often than not, the name is spelt Guild and variants of the same. It is generally thought that Goold (Gold) is a variant. 5 3

Here, the first record was of Alexander Gulde who rendered to Exchequer the accounts of the bailies of Stirling, 1421 and 1425. Thomas Gulde and William Gulid, 'husbandis,' were charter witnesses, 1481, and Henry Guld is mentioned in a Scone document of 1491. 5

Early History of the Guild family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Guild research. Another 195 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1193, 1312, 1500, 1502, 1512, 1521, 1584, 1586, 1593, 1619, 1644, 1657, 1659, 1675, 1676, 1678, 1709, 1710, 1734, 1794 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Guild History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Guild Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Guild has appeared include Gould, Goold, Gold, Gilder and others.

Early Notables of the Guild family

Notables of the family at this time include

  • William Guild (1586-1657), was a Scottish divine, son of Matthew Guild, a wealthy armourer of Aberdeen, who figures in the burgh records as a stout and rather troublesome defender of the ancient sport...

Guild Ranking

In the United States, the name Guild is the 12,828th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 6

Migration of the Guild family to Ireland

Some of the Guild family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 116 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Guild migration to the United States +

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Guild arrived in North America very early:

Guild Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Samuel Guild, who arrived in Dedham, Massachusetts in 1642 7
  • John Guild, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1654 7
Guild Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Thomas Guild, who landed in South Carolina in 1716 7
Guild Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • H Guild, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1850 7
  • J M Guild, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1850 7
  • H H Guild, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 7

Guild migration to Australia +

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

Guild Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • David Guild, aged 37, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Bucephalus"
  • Mary Guild, aged 14, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Bucephalus"

Contemporary Notables of the name Guild (post 1700) +

  • John W. Guild, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Illinois, 1952 8
  • John A. Guild, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Wyoming, 1912 8
  • J. C. Guild, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Alabama, 1860 8
  • George Blackmore Guild (1834-1917), American Democratic Party politician, Mayor of Nashville, Tennessee, 1891-95 8
  • Emma M. Guild, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Arizona, 1920; Candidate for U.S. Representative from Arizona at-large, 1922 8
  • Curtis Guild Jr. (1860-1915), American Republican politician, Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts, 1903-06; Governor of Massachusetts, 1906-09; U.S. Ambassador to Russia, 1911-13 8
  • Wilfrid Guild Normand (1884-1962), Baron Normand, Scottish politician and judge, Solicitor General for Scotland in 1929 and from 1931 to 1933


  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  3. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  4. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  5. 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)
  6. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  7. 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)
  8. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 20) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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