Goforth
An English surname likely formed from the phrase “go forth,” originally functioning as a descriptive nickname or byname.
The #4,068 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 35,346 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Goforth is generally understood as a surname built from the Middle English words go and forth, literally meaning “go onward” or “depart.” In that sense it most likely began as a nickname or byname, perhaps for someone noted for traveling, moving on, or being sent away. It may also have been shaped by the common English habit of turning familiar phrases into surnames.
History
The name is found in English records and later spread to North America, where it survives in modest numbers. Historical surname collectors often grouped it with other phrase-like names such as Gofirst or Rushforth, which supports the idea that it arose as an expressive nickname rather than from a place-name. The modern spelling has remained fairly stable.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Its structure makes it one of the more transparent English surnames: it reads almost exactly like a normal imperative phrase.
From the historical record
“Goff, 361. Gofirst, 148. Goforth, 144. Goget, 434. Gogin, 434. Goggin, 00. Goggins, 60. Going, 48.”
— Suffolk Surnames (3rd ed.)