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Goodyear History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Goodyear History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Goodyear is a name that first reached England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. It comes from the given names Gudhir, or Gudvar, which were popular medieval names of Germanic origin. 1

Another source notes that the name could have originated from the Middle English goodyeare, goodier, goodere, goodye(e)re meaning 'good year', as in "an expletive used in questions, 'What the good year?' Possibly elliptic for 'as I hope to have a good year' " 2

The Domesday Book of 1086 has the first record of the family as Godere and Goderus (Latin). 3

Early Origins of the Goodyear family

The surname Goodyear was first found in Huntingdonshire, where the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list Cest' Godyer. 4

"Goodyear, which is now a Lincolnshire name, was represented 600 years ago by Godyer in the adjacent county of Huntingdonshire." 5

John Godeyer, was listed in the Close Rolls, 10 Richard II (during the tenth year of Richard II's reign.)

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed Willelmus Goddeyere; Simon Godeycre, smyth; and Willelmus Godcyere as all holding lands there at that time. 4

Charles Goodyear (1800-1860) the American inventor and patent holder of vulcanized rubber was born in New Haven, Connecticut. His father was a descendant of Stephen Goodyear (c. 1598-1658) born in London, who emigrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration.

Early History of the Goodyear family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Goodyear research. Another 223 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1285, 1295, 1296, 1301, 1327, 1456, 1467, 1500, 1513, 1566, 1592, 1600, 1613, 1626, 1627, 1636, 1664, 1682, 1687, 1705, 1708, 1718, 1719 and 1741 are included under the topic Early Goodyear History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Goodyear Spelling Variations

Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Goodyear family name include Goodyear, Goodier and others.

Early Notables of the Goodyear family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was John Goodyer (1592-1664), a 17th century botanist who was known as "the ablest Herbalist now living in England."Samuel Goodere (1687-1741), was an English captain in the navy, the third and youngest son of Sir Edward Goodere, bart., of Burhope in Herefordshire, by his wife, daughter and heiress of Sir Edward Dineley, bart., of Charleton in Worcestershire, and on the mother's side granddaughter of Lewis Watson, first lord Rockingham. The eldest son having been killed in a duel, the second son, John Dineley, who had been brought up at sea in the merchant service...
Another 182 words (13 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Goodyear Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Goodyear Ranking

In the United States, the name Goodyear is the 10,499^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 6 However, in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Goodyear is ranked the 89^th most popular surname with an estimated 338 people with that name. 7

Goodyear migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Goodyear family to immigrate North America:

Goodyear Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Stephen Goodyear, a London merchant, who landed in New Haven in 1638. In 1641 he was appointed Deputy Governor of Connecticut

Goodyear Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

A. Goodyear settled in San Francisco, California in 1850
John Goodyear, who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1862
Chas. Goodyear, aged 51, who settled in America, in 1896

Goodyear Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Ester Goodyear, aged 23, who immigrated to the United States, in 1904
Anson Comper Goodyear, who immigrated to America, in 1904
Alice W. Goodyear, who immigrated to the United States, in 1905
C.W. Goodyear, aged 59, who landed in America, in 1906
Harry Goodyear, aged 30, who landed in America from Reading, England, in 1907
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Goodyear migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Goodyear Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century

Elizabeth Mary Goodyear, aged 22, who immigrated to Torquay, Newfoundland, in 1906
Harry Taylor Goodyear, aged 24, who settled in Torquay, Newfoundland, in 1906
John Goodyear, aged 33, who immigrated to Fogo, Newfoundland, in 1923
Arthur Goodyear, aged 29, who settled in Fogo, Newfoundland, in 1923

Goodyear migration to Australia +

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

Goodyear Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Miss Eliza Goodyear, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Earl of Liverpool" in December 1830, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 8
Mr. John Goodyear, English convict who was convicted in East Riding, Yorkshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Exmouth" on 3rd March 1831, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 9
John Goodyear, aged 42, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1849 aboard the ship "Eliza" 10
James Goodyear, aged 26, who arrived in South Australia in 1853 aboard the ship "Ramillies" 11
Mark Goodyear, aged 16, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Caroline" 12
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Goodyear (post 1700) +

Charles Goodyear (1800-1860), American inventor of the art of vulcanizing rubber, eponym of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
Sara Suleri Goodyear (1953-2022), born Sara Suleri, an American author and professor emeritus of English at Yale University, founding editor of the Yale Journal of Criticism, and served on the editorial boards of YJC, The Yale Review, and Transition
Dana Goodyear (b. 1976), American journalist and poet
William "Billy" Goodyear (1865-1936), American football coach, newspaper editor, publisher and politician
Anson Conger Goodyear (1877-1964), American manufacturer, businessman and philanthropist
Miles Morris Goodyear (1817-1849), American fur trader and mountain man who built Fort Buenaventura, Utah
William Goodyear, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Washington 3rd District, 1908 13
Samuel C. Goodyear (b. 1843), American Republican politician, Member of Michigan State House of Representatives from Genesee County 1st District, 1897-1900; Defeated, 1890 13
Henry A. Goodyear (1818-1901), American Democratic Party politician, Member of Michigan State House of Representatives, 1847, 1875-76; Member of Michigan State Senate 22nd District, 1855-56 13
Frank C. Goodyear, American Republican politician, Candidate for Connecticut State House of Representatives from Naugatuck, 1906 13
... (Another 6 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 20th August 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-of-liverpool
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th May 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/exmouth
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) ELIZA 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Eliza.htm
South Australian Register Tuesday 11 January 1853. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) RAMILLIES 1853. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/ramillies1853.shtml
South Australian Register Thursday 26th April 1855. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Caroline 1855. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/caroline1855.shtml
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 21) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html