Show ContentsGoy History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The distinguished surname Goy is one of the many names that was brought to France in the wake of the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name is derived from "Gouy," the name of a village located on the Seine River in Upper Normandy, and was most likely first borne in England by Norman settlers who hailed from this region.

Early Origins of the Goy family

The surname Goy was first found in the South of England, where the family was granted lands for having served William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings. The earliest known bearer of the name was Robert le Goiz, who was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls in 1201.

Early History of the Goy family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Goy research. Another 116 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1201, 1221, 1249 and 1327 are included under the topic Early Goy History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Goy Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Goy, Goys, Goyse,Goyler and others.

Early Notables of the Goy family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

  • the Goy family of Lincolnshire

Goy Ranking

In France, the name Goy is the 3,614th most popular surname with an estimated 1,500 - 2,000 people with that name. 1


Canada Goy migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Goy Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Hryhor Goy, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1898

Australia Goy migration to Australia +

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

Goy Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Goy (post 1700) +

  • Peter John Goy (1938-2021), English professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper from 1955 to 1967
  • Mr. David Alan Goy B.E.M., British recipient of Medallist of the British Empire Medal 29th December 2018 for political service 3
  • Malcolm Goy, British photographer
  • Dr. Edward Dennis Goy (1926-2000), well-known and somewhat controversial literary critic and translator
  • Luba Goy (b. 1945), Belgian-Canadian actress and comedian, and one of the stars of "Royal Canadian Air Farce"
  • Philippe Goy (b. 1941), French science fiction writer


  1. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  2. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/baring
  3. "Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62507, 28 December 2018 | London Gazette, The Gazette, Dec. 2018, www.thegazette.co.uk/honours-lists


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