| ![Show Contents]() Goodwill History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The name Goodwill is tied to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of England. It comes from the baptismal name Godwin, which comes from the Old English name "Go-dwine," composed of the elements "go-d," meaning "good," and "wine," meaning "friend," collectively meaning "God friend." 1 2 Early Origins of the Goodwill familyThe surname Goodwill was first found in Yorkshire where they held a family seat from very early times. Godwin or Godwine (d. 1053) was the Earl of Wessex, chief adviser to King Canute, who held great wealth and lands in those times. His son Harold Godwinson (circa 1022-1066) was Harold II of England, the last Anglo-Saxon King of England, killed on October 14 1066 at the Battle of Hastings. Godwin, or Godwine was also the name of an 11th century Bishop of Lichfield, who died in 1020. 3 Early rolls show the many spellings used throughout ancient Britain beginning with the Domesday Book of 1086 where we find Ailmar filius Goduini. 4 Years later in Yorkshire, we found Ricardus filius Godwini in the Assize Rolls of 1219. In Norfolk, the Pipe Rolls of 1177 list Walter Godwin as holding lands there at that time. In Cambridgeshire, the Feet of Fines for 1327 list Robert Gudwen and in the same year, William Goudwyne was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex. In Worcestershire, William Godewynes was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for 1327 and back in Yorkshire, we found John Gudwyn listed as a Freeman of York in 1388. 2 Early History of the Goodwill familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Goodwill research. Another 165 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1177, 1219, 1273, 1296, 1327, 1500, 1517, 1562, 1590, 1594, 1597, 1600, 1603, 1605, 1633, 1641, 1654, 1655, 1659, 1660, 1662, 1665, 1670, 1674, 1677, 1680, 1695, 1719, 1730 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Goodwill History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Goodwill Spelling VariationsOnly recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Goodwill has undergone many spelling variations, including Godwin, Goodwin, Goodin, Gooding, Goodings, Goodwyn, Godwyn, Godwine, Goodwine, Goddwin, Goddwyn, Goddywne and many more. Early Notables of the Goodwill familyDistinguished members of the family include Thomas Godwin (1517-1590), Bishop of Bath and Wells, born in 1517 at Oakingham, Berkshire, of poor parents; Francis Godwin (1562-1633), English divine, Bishop of Llandaff and of Hereford; John Goodwin (1594-1665), an English preacher, theologian and prolific author; John Goodwin (1603-1674), an English lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1641 and 1660, supporter of the Parliamentary cause in the English Civil War; Peter Gooden (died 1695), an English Roman Catholic priest; Thomas Godwin (died 1677), a Virginia politician and landowner, served in the House of Burgesses 1654-1655...
Another 98 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Goodwill Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Goodwill RankingIn the United States, the name Goodwill is the 13,774th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 5  Migration of the Goodwill family to Ireland
Some of the Goodwill family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 84 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Goodwill migration to the United States | + |
To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Goodwill were among those contributors:
Goodwill Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Fletekis Goodwill, aged 28, who immigrated to the United States from Southampton, in 1897
- Nelly Goodwill, aged 4, who landed in America, in 1897
Goodwill Settlers in United States in the 20th Century- Charles Goodwill, aged 30, who immigrated to the United States from Lythe, England, in 1908
- Phoebe Goodwill, aged 46, who immigrated to the United States, in 1910
- Jessie Goodwill, who landed in America from England, in 1916
- Jessie Goodwill, aged 24, who immigrated to America from W. Hartlepool, England, in 1916
- Clarence Goodwill, aged 4, who landed in America from W. Hartlepool, England, in 1916
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
| Goodwill 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: Goodwill Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century- Mr. Thomas Goodwill, (b. 1829), aged 30, English agricultural labourer from York travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Victory " arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 14th May 1859 6
| Contemporary Notables of the name Goodwill (post 1700) | + |
- Jasper Goodwill (1889-1974), American politician, Democratic mayor of Minden, Louisiana (1955 to 1958)
- Craig Goodwill, American writer and director in film and television
- Edgar S. Goodwill, American politician, Socialist Labor Candidate for Mayor of Worcester, Massachusetts 1900, election inconclusive 7
- Cecil T. Goodwill, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Michigan State House of Representatives from Shiawassee County, 1938 7
- Mrs. A. G. D. Goodwill, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from New York, 1928 7
- Oliver James Goodwill (b. 1982), British fashion model, actor and soul singer
- Albert Goodwill Spalding (1850-1915), American professional baseball player, founder of Spalding, the sporting goods manufacturer
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: Fide et virtute
Motto Translation: By fidelity and valour.
- Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
- Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 21) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
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Goodwill migration to the United States 
Goodwill migration to New Zealand 
England
Ireland
