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Goss Family History

Goss Name Meaning

English German and French: from the ancient Germanic personal name Gozzo Gauz (Middle English Old French Gosse) short forms of compound names based on the element goz (from gaut an ethnic name meaning ‘Geat’ or ‘Goth’) rarely also on the element gōd ‘good’ or god got ‘god’. In Middle English Gosse was frequently used as a short form of the double diminutive Goscelin (see Joslin ). Geats (Old English gēatas Old Scandinavian gautar) were the Scandinavian people formerly occupying modern Götaland in Sweden their name being closely related to that of the Goths (Old English gotan Old Scandinavian gotar). Both ethnic names are presumably derived from a Proto-Germanic word meaning ‘to pour’. The relationship between Geats and Goths is controversial and in the name elements the two ethnicities are not always distinguishable. This surname is rare in France where the common form is Gosse .

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


Similar surnames: Gosse, Ross, Gess, Goos, Gose, Boss, Koss, Oss, Gloss, Noss

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Where is the Goss family from?

You can see how Goss families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Goss family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Goss families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 105 Goss families living in Ontario. This was about 42% of all the recorded Goss's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Goss families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Goss 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 Goss ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Labourer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Goss. 30% of Goss men worked as a Labourer and 31% of Goss women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Goss were Barber and Saleslady. .

View Census Data for Goss | 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 1921

  • Labourer
    30%
  • Farmer
    28%
  • Laborer
    12%
  • Barber
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Stenographer
    31%
  • Housekeeper
    24%
  • Teacher
    16%
  • Saleslady
    16%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Goss family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 151,000 census records available for the last name Goss. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Goss census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Goss

Passenger Lists

There are 13,000 immigration records available for the last name Goss. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Goss immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 27,000 military records available for the last name Goss. For the veterans among your Goss ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Goss lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Goss life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1951, and highest in 1990. The average life expectancy for Goss in 1940 was 52, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Goss

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