GOODALL
The surname Goodall is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words god, meaning “good”, and halh, meaning “nook” or “corner”. As a locational surname it signified a person who dwelt in or near a favourable recess of land, and at the same time it could have served as a nickname for someone of good character or pleasant disposition.
In medieval records there are several distinct formations of the name that may reflect a range of meanings. A sobriquet occupational form links Goodall to the brewing trade, where the word gode or “good” is combined with ale to indicate a brewer of good ale. The earliest appearance of this structure is the entry for Toka Godala in the Pipe Rolls of Suffolk dated 1181, during the reign of King Henry XI.
Other early attestations show a close resemblance to the medieval spelling Godhal. Roger Godhal is recorded in the 1221 Assize Court Rolls of Shropshire, and William Godale is mentioned in the 1244 Calendar of the Monastery of Ramsey in Bedfordshire. By the late fourteenth century Ricardus de Goldall appears in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire, 1379, a name that is now associated with the locality of Gowdall in the former West Riding of Yorkshire.
In the early seventeenth century Thomas Goodall is recorded as marrying Alice Fluen in St. James’ Clerkenwell, London, in 1635. The name also crossed the Atlantic with early settlers; Robert Goodall (30 years old) and his wife Katherine (28) departed from Ipswich aboard the “Elizabeth” for New England in April 1634.
There are a number of variants that have been recognised historically. Among them are Godhall, Goodhall, Goodhale, Godall, Goodale and Goodwil. These reflect the natural evolution of spelling in an age which lacked standardised orthography.
The distribution of the surname has remained strongest in north and midland England, with a particular concentration in the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire, though it is now found throughout the United Kingdom and in other English‑speaking countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, a spread that mirrors historical waves of British emigration.
A modern figure of considerable renown who bears the name is Dame Jane Goodall, the eminent primatologist and environmental advocate, whose work has brought global attention to the surname.
Typical given names associated with the Goodall surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Robert
Female
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Helen
- Jean
- Julie
- Karen
- Lisa
- Margaret
- Mary
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Goodale
- Gooday
- Goodal
- Goodayle
- Godall
- Caddel
- Caddell
- Caddle
- Cadel
- Cadell
- Cadle
- Caidall
- Catal
- Catala
- Catalao
- Catalli
- Catallo
- Catel
- Catell
- Catella
- Catelle
- Catelli
- Catello
- Catilli
- Catilo
- Catle
- Cattal
- Cattall
- Cattel
- Cattele
- Cattell
- Cattelle
- Cattle
- Catullo
- Caudal
- Caudel
- Caudell
- Caudill
- Caudle
- Cautela
- Cautle
- Cawdell
- Cawdle
- Codali
- Codel
- Codell
- Codle
- Cotel
- Cotell
- Cotle
- Cottel
- Cottell
- Cottle
- Cottol
- Coutelle
- Cowdale
- Cowdall
- Cowdel
- Cowdell
- Cowdill
- Cowdle
- Coydell
- Cudal
- Cuddle
- Cudill
- Cutill
- Cutillo
- Cutle
- Cutolo
- Cuttel
- Cuttell
- Cuttelle
- Cuttill
- Cuttle
- Cutuli
- Cutull
- Gadala
- Gadalla
- Gadella
- Gadiali
- Gadola
- Gadula
- Gatdula
- Gatell
- Gattell
- Gaudelli
- Gaudle
- Gdula
- Ghadiali
- Ghatalia
- Ghudial
- Godal
- Godala
- Goddall
- Godel
- Godell
- Godil
- Godlee
- Godula
- Goettel
- Goettle
- Gooda
- Goodcall
- Gooddall
- Goodell
- Goodellow
- Gooderall
- Goodhale
- Goodhall
- Goodhill
- Goodill
- Goodle
- Goodsall
- Goodwell
- Goodwill
- Gotel
- Gotelee
- Gotla
- Gottel
- Goudal
- Goudall
- Goutal
- Guatella
- Guatelli
- Gudail
- Gudal
- Gudel
- Guedalla
- Gutale
- Guttilla
- Kadali
- Kadel
- Kadela
- Kadell
- Kadle
- Kadula
- Kaitell
- Katal
- Katele
- Katelia
- Katla
- Kattell
- Kattle
- Kattula
- Katula
- Keadell
- Keadle
- Kedale
- Kedall
- Keddall
- Keddel
- Keddell
- Keddle
- Keedle
- Keetle
- Keidel
- Keitel
- Ketel
- Ketelle
- Ketola
- Kettel
- Kettell
- Kettle
- Kettyle
- Kidall
- Kiddal
- Kiddall
- Kiddel
- Kiddell
- Kiddle
- Kidel
- Kidell
- Kitle
- Kittel
- Kittell
- Kittl
- Kittle
- Kittyle
- Kodali
- Kodell
- Kotala
- Kotelo
- Kotla
- Kotoula
- Kotula
- Kotyla
- Koudela
- Kudela
- Kudla
- Kudolo
- Kutlu
- Kuttel
- Kutyla
- Quatela
- Quetel
- Gudala
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Goodall in...
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There are approximately 12,663 people named Goodall in the UK. That makes it the 713th most common surname in Britain. Around 194 in a million people in Britain are named Goodall.
Surname type: Occupational name
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Goodall
- Jane Goodall - Primatologist, ethologist, and anthropologist and graphic designer
- Caroline Goodall - Actress
- Howard Goodall - Composer and presenter for television and radio
- David Goodall - -born Australian botanist and ecologist (1914 to 2018)
- Reginald Goodall - Conductor, singing coach and fascist (1901 to 1990)
- John Goodall - Football player and manager (1863 to 1942)
- Chris Goodall - Businessman and author
- Jason Goodall - Tennis player
- Ken Goodall - Irish rugby union and rugby league football player (1947 to 2006)
- Roy Goodall - Football player and manager (1902 to 1982)
- Josh Goodall - Tennis player
- Scott Goodall - Comic writer (1935 to 2016)
- Alan Goodall - Football player
- David Goodall - Actor and director
- Harry Goodall - Cricketer (1877 to 1961)
- David Goodall - Diplomat (1931 to 2016)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.