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Goldsmith Family History

Goldsmith Surname Meaning

English: occupational name for a worker in gold from Middle English goldsmith Old English goldsmith ‘goldsmith’ a compound of gold ‘gold’ + smith ‘smith’.

Americanized form (translation into English) of Jewish (Ashkenazic) and German Goldschmidt and also of its Dutch equivalent Goldsmit.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Goldsmith family from?

You can see how Goldsmith families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Goldsmith family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Goldsmith families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 127 Goldsmith families living in Ontario. This was about 40% of all the recorded Goldsmith's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Goldsmith families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Goldsmith 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 Goldsmith ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Income were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Goldsmith. 34% of Goldsmith men worked as a Farmer and 23% of Goldsmith women worked as an Income. Some less common occupations for Americans named Goldsmith were Carpenter and Clerk.

View Census Data for Goldsmith | 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
    34%
  • Laborer
    14%
  • Labourer
    10%
  • Carpenter
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Income
    23%
  • Stenographer
    19%
  • Farmer
    14%
  • Clerk
    14%

What Goldsmith family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 214,000 census records available for the last name Goldsmith. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Goldsmith census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Goldsmith

Passenger Lists

There are 28,000 immigration records available for the last name Goldsmith. 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 Goldsmith immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 23,000 military records available for the last name Goldsmith. For the veterans among your Goldsmith ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Goldsmith military records

You've only scratched the surface of Goldsmith family history

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What is the average Goldsmith lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Goldsmith life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Goldsmith in 1943 was 45, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Goldsmith

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Goldsmith 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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