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Show ContentsGoode 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 Goode begins in the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes in Britain. It was a name for 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 Goode family

The surname Goode 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 Goode family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Goode 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 Goode History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Goode Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Goode are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Goode include: Good, Goode, Goad, Goade, Gudd, Gude, Legood and many more.

Early Notables of the Goode family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

  • Thomas Good (Goode), (1609-1678), an English academic and clergyman, and Master of Balliol College, Oxford

Goode Ranking

In the United States, the name Goode is the 1,371st most popular surname with an estimated 22,383 people with that name. 9

Ireland Migration of the Goode family to Ireland

Some of the Goode 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 Goode migration to the United States +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Goode or a variant listed above:

Goode Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Robert Goode, who landed in Massachusetts in 1646 10
  • Richard Goode, who arrived in Virginia in 1651 10
  • Ann Goode, who landed in Virginia in 1662 10
  • John Goode, who arrived in Virginia in 1678 10
Goode Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Thomas Goode, a bonded passenger, who settled in America in 1722
Goode Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • M Goode, aged 23, who landed in New York, NY in 1851 10

Australia Goode migration to Australia +

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

Goode Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

New Zealand Goode 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:

Goode Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Annie Goode, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Surat" in 1864
  • John Goode, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Surat" in 1864
  • Richard Goode, aged 37, a gardener, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "La Hogue" in 1874
  • Louisa Goode, aged 33, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "La Hogue" in 1874
  • Samuel Goode, aged 11, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "La Hogue" in 1874
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

West Indies Goode 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. 16
Goode Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • John Goode, who arrived in Barbados in 1659

Contemporary Notables of the name Goode (post 1700) +

  • Peter Wayne Goode Jr. (1937-2020), American politician, Member of the Missouri Senate (1985-2005)
  • Thomas Guinne Goode (1938-2015), American football offensive lineman, coach, and administrator
  • William Josiah Goode (1918-2003), American professor of sociology, president of the American Sociological Association
  • John Goode Jr. (1829-1909), American politician, who served in the Confederate Congress during the American Civil War, was later a U.S. Congressman and Solicitor General
  • William Osborne Goode (1798-1859), American politician and lawyer from Virginia, member of the U.S. Congress
  • Alexander D. Goode (1911-1943), American rabbi and a lieutenant in the United States Army
  • Cynthia Goode, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Virginia, 2004 17
  • Calvin Goode, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Presidential Elector for Arizona, 2012 17
  • Bill Goode, American politician, Candidate for Michigan State Senate 4th District, 1948 17
  • Araceli Goode, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Iowa, 2004 17
  • ... (Another 46 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
HMS Repulse
  • Mr. John Henry Goode, Welsh Seaman from Cardiff, Glamorgan, Wales, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 18
RMS Lusitania
  • Mr. George Goode, Canadian 3rd Class passenger from Canada, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 19
Winter Quarters coal mine
  • Mr. James Goode, American mine worker from Scofield, Utah who worked in the Winter Quarters coal mine on 1st May 1900, when 10 of the 25lb kegs of black powder exploded; he died in the explosion 20
  • Mr. William Goode (b. 1862), American mine worker from Scofield, Utah who worked in the Winter Quarters coal mine on 1st May 1900, when 10 of the 25lb kegs of black powder exploded; he died in the explosion 20
  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. 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)
  11. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/dromedary
  12. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 10th September 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-st-vincent
  13. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 5th October 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/florentia
  14. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 19th February 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/clyde
  15. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 9th March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elizabeth
  16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  17. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 21) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  18. HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
  19. Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
  20. Miners killed in Winter Quarters (retrieved 28th July 2021). Retrieved from http://www.carbon-utgenweb.com/miners.html
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