Goldstein

Recorded in many forms as shown below, this is a surname of dual nationality. In England the name is usually locational from the villages called Goldstone in the counties of Kent and Staffordshire. The origin in both cases is the same, and sadly does not have anything to do with the mineral gold, being from the female personal name of 'Golda' and '-tun', a farm or hamlet. Perhaps surprisingly the surname has developed many spelling forms including Goldston, Goldstone, Gouldstone, Golston, Goulstone, Goulston, Goldson, Golson, the German and Jewish Goldstein, and the rare Gulston and Guslon. Locational surnames were sunames that were usually given to former inhabitants of the villages after they moved to other areas, even if this was only the next village. The German version though is ornamental. These were names created in the 18th century, because they looked and sounded pleasant. At that time Germany was regarded as the most liberal country in Europe, and they welcomed in refugees from many areas. Early examples of the surname recording include Robert Goldstan in the Pipe Rolls of Bedford in 1202, and Walter Goldstan in the Curia Regis Rolls of Berkshire in 1214. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.