Explore the Family Name Goodacre

The meaning of Goodacre

1. English (Midlands): topographic name from Middle English god(e), gu(o)d ‘good’ + aker ‘piece of arable land, field’, denoting someone who farmed a notably productive piece of land. 2. English: habitational name from Goodacre in Bridestowe (Devon) or from some other place similarly name from Middle English got(e), gat(te) ‘goat’ + aker ‘field’. 3. Americanized form of German Gutacker, a topographic name for someone who owned or farmed a ‘good field’ (see 1 above), or a habitational name from a place so named near Datteln, Westphalia.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Goodacre in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Goodacre has seen a significant rise between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the surname was ranked at 57,090 in terms of overall frequency, but by 2010 it had climbed to 52,267, indicating an increase of 8.45%. The total count of individuals bearing the surname also increased during this period from 334 to 397, marking an 18.86% growth. The proportion per 100,000 people also saw a slight uptick from 0.12 to 0.13, growing by 8.33%.

20002010Change
Rank#57,090#52,2678.45%
Count33439718.86%
Proportion per 100k0.120.138.33%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Goodacre

In terms of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows some shifts within populations with the Goodacre surname from 2000 to 2010. People identifying as White represented the largest group, although their percentage decreased slightly from 79.94% to 78.84%. The proportion of individuals identifying as Black saw the most significant increase, going from 12.28% to 15.37%, demonstrating a substantial growth of 25.16%. The representation of individuals identifying with two or more races reduced by 15.61%, falling from 2.69% to 2.27%. There was no data available for Asian/Pacific Islanders in either year, while the Hispanic population dropped to zero by 2010. Interestingly, the American Indian and Alaskan Native category appeared in 2010 with a 2.02% share, not having been recorded in 2000.

20002010Change
White79.94%78.84%-1.38%
Black12.28%15.37%25.16%
Two or More Races2.69%2.27%-15.61%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%2.02%0%
Asian/Pacific Islander0%0%0%
Hispanic2.69%0%0%