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Show ContentsGood History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
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Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

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The history of the name Good goes back those Anglo-Saxon tribes that once ruled over Britain. Such a name was given to a person who performed good deeds or acts of kindness. 1

Another source claims the name was noting a "descendant of Goda or Gode (good), which is also the first element in many names such as Godmund, Godric and Godwine. In these names it often refers to God; occasionally it refers to the good man." 2

And yet another source claims the name was originally Norman as the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae lists Alyered and Ralph Godes of Normandy in 1198. 3

Early Origins of the Good family

The surname Good was first found in Kent, Sussex and Wiltshire, where the name God was found in the Domesday Book. 4 5

Other early records include Gilbert le Gode in the Curia Regis Rolls for Berkshire in 1212; Robert Gode in the Assize Rolls of Gloucester of 1221; and Thomas le Goude in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex of 1327. 4

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included the family entries as both a forename and a surname: Goda Herrt, 1273; William filius Gode; Goda Poggel; Norman filius Gode; Goda de Castre. Interesting no county entries were provided with these. 6

Later the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included: Hugo Gud; Cecilia Gud; Robertus Godde and Elena uxor ejus; and Willelmus Gude. 6

In Somerset, Richard le Gode was listed there 1 Edward III (during the first year of King Edward III's reign.) 7

Further to the north in Scotland, entries were quite late: "George Gude and Mariota Hommyll, his spouse, are mentioned in 1517. Thomas Gude, was bailie of Lowdoun, Ayr, 1533. John Gwid, mason, was builder of the tower of Pollok, 1536, and John Gud held a tenement in Glasgow, 1555." 8

Early History of the Good family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Good research. Another 167 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1250, 1402, 1527, 1537, 1561, 1576, 1581, 1600, 1607, 1609, 1616, 1636, 1638, 1648, 1671, 1678, 1689, 1692 and 1893 are included under the topic Early Good History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Good Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Good family name include Good, Goode, Goad, Goade, Gudd, Gude, Legood and many more.

Early Notables of the Good family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

  • James Good (c. 1527-1581), a London physician
  • Thomas Good (Goode), (1609-1678), an English academic and clergyman, and Master of Balliol College, Oxford
  • Sarah Good (d. 1692), one of the first women to be declared a witch by the trials at Salem Village, Massachusetts

Good Ranking

In the United States, the name Good is the 951st most popular surname with an estimated 32,331 people with that name. 9 However, in New Zealand, the name Good is ranked the 711st most popular surname with an estimated 1,004 people with that name. 10

Ireland Migration of the Good family to Ireland

Some of the Good family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

United States Good migration to the United States +

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, the Canadas, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Investigation of the origins of family names on the North American continent has revealed that early immigrants bearing the name Good or a variant listed above:

Good Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Thomas Good, aged 24, who arrived in America in 1638 11
  • Mr. Thomas Good, (b. 1614), aged 24, British servant for the Batt family traveling aboard the ship "Bevis" arriving in New England in 1638 12
  • Robert Good, who settled in Massachusetts in 1646
  • Edward Good, who arrived in Maryland in 1655 11
  • Richard Good, who arrived in Virginia in 1655 11
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Good Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Pelina Good, who arrived in Virginia in 1702 11
  • Palma Good, who landed in Virginia in 1702 11
  • Susanna Good, who arrived in Virginia in 1706 11
  • Theis Good, who landed in Virginia in 1714 11
  • James Good, who arrived in Maryland in 1722
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Good Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Patrick Good, who arrived in Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1802 11
  • James Good, who arrived in America in 1812 11
  • William Good, who landed in New York, NY in 1827 11
  • Laurence Good, who arrived in New York, NY in 1837 11
  • Lawrence Good, who landed in New York, NY in 1837 11
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Good migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Good Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century
Good Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Mr. David Good U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1784 14
  • Mr. David Good U.E. who settled in York Co., NB c. 1784 listed as a child but more than 10 years of age 14
Good Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • John Good, who arrived in Canada in 1831
  • Anne Good, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Mary" in 1838
  • David Good, who landed in Canada in 1841
  • Joel Good, who landed in Canada in 1841
  • Ms. Hannah Good, aged 20 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Lady Gordon" departing from the port of Belfast, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle in June 1847 15
Good Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century
  • L H Good, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1907
  • Mrs. Good, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1907

Australia Good migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Good Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. John Good, (b. 1782), aged 19, Irish Farmer who was convicted in Galway, Ireland for life, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 29th November 1801, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 16
  • Joseph Good, English convict from Surrey, who was transported aboard the "Ann" on August 1809, settling in New South Wales, Australia 17
  • Mr. Robert Good, English convict who was convicted in Newcastle Upon Tyne, Northumberland, England for life, transported aboard the "Eliza" on 22nd September 1819, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 18
  • Mr. John Good, (b. 1800), aged 20, Irish labourer who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for 7 years for felony, transported aboard the "Dorothy" on 5th May 1820, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 19
  • John Good, English convict from Middlesex, who was transported aboard the "Asia" on April 1st, 1822, settling in New South Wales, Australia 20
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Good migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Good Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Miss Sarah Good, (b. 1817), aged 24, British domestic servant travelling from Plymouth aboard the ship "Timandra" arriving in New Plymouth, Taranaki, North Island, New Zealand on 24th February 1842 21
  • Walter Good, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "John Masterman" in 1857
  • William Good, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "John Masterman" in 1857
  • Joseph Good, aged 23, who arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand aboard the ship "Accrington" in 1863 22
  • Jane Good, aged 24, who arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand aboard the ship "Accrington" in 1863 22
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

West Indies Good migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 23
Good Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • Elizabeth Good, a bonded emigrant send to Barbados in 1683

Contemporary Notables of the name Good (post 1700) +

  • Mary Lowe Good (1931-2019), American inorganic chemist, United States Secretary of Commerce (1996), Under Secretary of Commerce for Technology (1993-1997)
  • Michael Timothy Good (b. 1962), American test pilot and NASA astronaut with 312 hours in space 24
  • James William Good (1866-1929), American politician, member of U.S. Congress
  • James Isaac Good (1850-1924), American Reformed church clergyman and historian
  • Thomas Sword Good (1789-1872), English painter, born at Berwick-upon-Tweed, 4 Dec. 1789 25
  • Joseph Henry Good (1775-1857), English architect, son of the rector of Sambrook, Shropshire, where he was born on 18 Nov. 1775
  • John Mason Good (1764-1827), English physician and miscellaneous writer, born at Epping on 25 May 1764, the second son of the Rev. Peter Good, a congregational minister at Epping
  • James Laurence Fuller Good (1903-1991), English RAF Air Vice Marshall
  • Dallas Good (d. 2022), Canadian musician, founding member of The Sadies, a Canadian rock and roll / country and western band from Toronto, Ontario
  • Jack Good (1931-2017), British television producer, musical theatre producer, record producer, musician
  • ... (Another 2 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
HMS Hood
  • Mr. Frederick A Good (b. 1916), English Petty Officer serving for the Royal Navy from Freemantle, Southampton, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 26
  • Mr. Bernard E C Good (b. 1918), English Marine serving for the Royal Marine from Mile End, Portsmouth, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 26
USS Arizona
  • Mr. Leland Good, American Seaman Second Class from Illinois, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 27

Suggested Readings for the name Good +

  • The Good Side of My Family by Ruth Good Baker.
  • Genealogy of Tazewell, Bradford, and Goode by Calvert Walke Tazewell Sr..
  • A Good Tree Grew in the Valley: The Family Record of Christian Good, 1842-1916 by Lewis Christian Good.
  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  3. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  4. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  5. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  6. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  7. Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
  8. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  9. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  10. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  11. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  12. Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's. Retrieved October 6th 2021 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  13. Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
  14. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
  15. Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 30)
  16. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas
  17. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Ann voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1809 with 200 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/ann/1809
  18. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 10th February 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eliza
  19. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 12th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/dorothy
  20. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Asia 1 voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1822 with 190 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1822
  21. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  22. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  23. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  24. NASA Astronauts Homepage. (Retrieved 2010, September 27) Michael Good. Retrieved from http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/good-mt.html
  25. Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 30 June 2020
  26. H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
  27. Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html
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