History of your Surname
Get access to Goff family records.Start a free trial

Goff Family History

Goff Name 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


Similar surnames: Boff, Loff, Gaff, Off, Groff, Duff, Reff, Koff, Good, Hoff

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

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 1911 there were 127 Goff families living in Ontario. This was about 65% of all the recorded Goff's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Goff families in 1911.
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.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Goff ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Operator were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Goff. 48% of Goff men worked as a Farmer and 40% of Goff women worked as an Operator. Some less common occupations for Americans named Goff were Machinist and Bookkeeper. .

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 1921

  • Farmer
    48%
  • Labourer
    8%
  • Carpenter
    6%
  • Machinist
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Operator
    40%
  • Housekeeper
    20%
  • Student
    20%
  • Bookkeeper
    20%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

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 Canadian 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 Canada, 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

Discover More

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

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Goff family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Goff last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial