Explore the Family Name Goethe
The meaning of Goethe
1. German (also Göthe): from a short form of the personal name Godo, formed with the ancient Germanic element god, got ‘god’. 2. South German (also Göthe): relationship name or nickname from Middle High German göte ‘godfather’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Goethe in the United States?
The surname Goethe saw a slight change in its rank of popularity between 2000 and 2010, according to data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, Goethe was the 32,267th most popular surname, but by 2010 it had slipped slightly to become the 32,632nd most common surname — a decrease of 1.13%. However, the actual count of people carrying the Goethe surname increased during this decade, from 673 to 704 individuals, marking a growth of 4.61%. The proportion of individuals with the Goethe name per 100,000 people dipped by 4% in the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #32,267 | #32,632 | -1.13% |
| Count | 673 | 704 | 4.61% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.25 | 0.24 | -4% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Goethe
Data from the Decennial U.S. Census also provides insights into the ethnic identity associated with the surname Goethe. The highest percentage of Goethes identified as White in both 2000 (77.12%) and 2010 (75.71%), despite a minor drop of 1.83%. Individuals identifying as Black were the next largest group, increasing in representation from 20.06% in 2000 to 22.02% in 2010. Meanwhile, the percentage of Goethes identifying as Hispanic decreased by 12.88%, and those identifying with two or more races decreased by 18.27%. There were no recorded individuals with the Goethe surname who identified as Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 77.12% | 75.71% | -1.83% |
| Black | 20.06% | 22.02% | 9.77% |
| Hispanic | 1.63% | 1.42% | -12.88% |
| Two or More Races | 1.04% | 0.85% | -18.27% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |