Godself History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsGodself is an ancient Anglo-Saxon name. It was a name given to a person who was a person who was "gode," meaning "good," along with "saule, or soule," meaning "soul" in other words "an honest fellow." 1 Alternatively, the name could have been a local name from "Gadshill (Kent), Godshill (Isle of Wight), Godshill (Hants) or Godsell Fm (Wiltshire), all originally Godeshyll ‘god’s hill’" 1 Another source postulates the name is "perhaps from Godshill, in the Isle of Wight or the same as Godesilus, the name of an early Burgundian King." 2 Pursuing the Godesilus connection, one source notes that "Godescalus, [was] a mesne lord in Wiltshire in 1086." This latter source is obviously eluding to an entry appearing in the Domesday Book. 3 4 Early Origins of the Godself familyThe surname Godself was first found in Norfolk where William God saule was listed in the Feet of Fines for 1197. Ralph Godsouls was found in the Assize Rolls for Yorkshire in 1219 and later, Hugh de Godeshill was listed in the Assize Rolls for Somerset in 1225. The Pipe Rolls for Hampshire list Hugh de Godeshull in 1230 and later again, we found Thomas de Godeshell in Devon in 1309. The Subsidy Rolls for Sussex list Richard Godeshull in 1327. 1 Ralph Godsale, taillour was found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 5 The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 point to the widespread use of the name with a variety of spellings: Amice and Cecilla Godsol in Cambridgeshire; Augustin Godsouele in Huntingdonshire; and Radulphus Godsale in Norfolk. 5 "Godsell, a name now rare in the county, but represented by the Godsalls and Godsells of the neighbourhood of the city of Hereford, was an established name in Kingswood (co. Gloucester) during the 17th and 18th centuries, where a family of clothiers thus called resided." 6 Early History of the Godself familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Godself research. Another 105 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1505, 1542, 1546, 1556 and 1568 are included under the topic Early Godself History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Godself Spelling VariationsOne relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Godself has appeared include Godsell, Godsall, Goldsalde, Godseel, Godsel, Godsalve and many more. Early Notables of the Godself familyNotables of the family at this time include Sir John Godsalve (b. circa 1505- d. 1556), Clerk of the Signet, and Comptroller of the Mint, was the son and heir of Thomas Godsalve (d. 1542), registrar of the consistory court at Norwich and an owner of landed property in Norfolk.Edward... Migration of the Godself family to IrelandSome of the Godself 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. Migration of the Godself familyAt this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Godself arrived in North America very early: Michael Godsil settled in Harbour Grace, Newfoundland, in 1816; William Godsell settled in Tilting in 1818; Thomas Godsell settled in Harbour Grace from County Cork in 1831.
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