Golding

Golding is an English surname that has also appeared in various regions through migration. The name is generally considered patronymic, arising from a given name containing the element gold, such as Goldwin or Golda, with the suffix -ing indicating a descendant or associated family. Over time, the surname spread beyond England to other English-speaking countries and has appeared in historical and contemporary records.

The best-known bearer is William Golding (1911–1993), an English novelist and poet who received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1983. He is widely studied for his works exploring human nature, civilization, and morality, most famously in Lord of the Flies (1954).

Beyond William Golding, the surname is found across the English-speaking world and across fields such as literature, academia, and public life. Genealogical and biographical sources document its medieval presence in England and its continued use in contemporary populations. As a surname, Golding thus reflects both linguistic origin in English naming traditions and a long-standing presence in Anglophone societies.