Show ContentsGooch History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Gooch family

The surname Gooch was first found in Roxburghshire. One of the first records of the name was found in France alluding to its Norman heritage: Martin Gouge (c. 1360-1444), a French chancellor.

However, some of the family were found further south at Billesley in Warwickshire in early times. "The estate was afterwards possessed by Bishop Sherlock, through whose sister, who married Sir Thomas Gooch (1674-1754), Bishop of Ely, it passed into the Gooch family." 1

Early History of the Gooch family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gooch research. Another 105 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1165, 1540, 1575, 1578, 1594, 1609, 1614, 1630, 1643, 1653, 1665, 1674, 1681, 1700, 1705, 1727, 1730, 1746, 1749, 1751 and 1754 are included under the topic Early Gooch History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gooch Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Googh, Gouche, Gowk, Googe, Gooch, Gooche and others.

Early Notables of the Gooch family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was

  • Sir John Gooch of Suffolk; Barnabe Googe (1540-1594), an English poet and translator; William Gouge (1575-1653), an English clergyman and author, minister and preacher at St Ann Blackfriars, member of...

Gooch Ranking

In the United States, the name Gooch is the 2,569th most popular surname with an estimated 12,435 people with that name. 2


United States Gooch migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Gooch Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Mathew Gooch, aged 22, who landed in Virginia in 1635 3
  • Oplier Gooch, who landed in Virginia in 1651 3
  • Xtopr Gooch, who landed in Virginia in 1651 3
  • John Gooch, who arrived in New England in 1652 3
  • Xpher Gooch, who arrived in Virginia in 1654 3
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Gooch Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Jane Gooch, who arrived in Virginia in 1701 3
Gooch Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • J S Gooch, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 3

Canada Gooch migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Gooch Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century
  • F Gooch, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1907

Australia Gooch migration to Australia +

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

Gooch Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • George Lonsdale Gooch, English convict from Surrey, who was transported aboard the "Albion" on May 17, 1823, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 4
  • Mr. William Gooch, British convict who was convicted in Norwich, Norfolk, England for life, transported aboard the "Asia" on 29th September 1831, settling in New South Wales, Australia 5
  • Mr. Francis Gooch, English convict who was convicted in Beccles, Suffolk, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Equestrian" on 25th January 1844, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Island) 6
  • Edward Gooch, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Tory" in 1851 7
  • Robert Gooch, aged 15, who arrived in South Australia in 1853 aboard the ship "Mary Green" 8
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Gooch migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Gooch Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Thomas Gooch, aged 36, a carpenter, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Eveline" in 1865 9
  • Jane Gooch, aged 31, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Eveline" in 1865 9
  • Thomas Gooch, aged 12, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Eveline" in 1865 9
  • Jane Gooch, aged 9, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Eveline" in 1865 9
  • Emily Gooch, aged 4, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Eveline" in 1865 9
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Gooch (post 1700) +

  • Ulysses Lee "U.E." and "Rip" Gooch (1923-2021), American pilot, aviation entrepreneur, and politician in Kansas, one of the first inductees to the Black Aviation Hall of Fame
  • Frank Austen Gooch (1852-1929), American chemist and engineer, inventor of the Gooch crucible
  • Dag Luther Gooch (b. 1970), American filmmaker, writer, musician
  • Brad Gooch (b. 1952), American writer
  • Sir Alfred Sherlock Gooch (1851-1899), 9th Baronet
  • Sir Francis Robert Sherlock Lambert Gooch (1850-1881), 8th Baronet
  • Sir Edward Sherlock Gooch (1843-1872), 7th Baronet
  • Sir Edward Sherlock Gooch (1802-1856), 6th Baronet
  • Sir Thomas Sherlock Gooch (1767-1851), 5th Baronet
  • Sir Thomas Gooch (1745-1826), 4th Baronet
  • ... (Another 13 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


The Gooch Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Audaces juvat
Motto Translation: Fortune favours the bold.


  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  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)
  4. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Albion voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1823 with 200 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/albion/1823
  5. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 12th January 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1831
  6. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 4th May 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/equestrian
  7. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) TORY 1851. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1851Tory.htm
  8. South Australian Register Monday 20 June 1853. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) MARY GREEN 1853. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/marygreen1853.shtml
  9. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 4th November 2011). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html


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