GOODMAN
Goodman is an English surname of Anglo‑Scottish provenance. Its earliest appearance in surviving records dates to the early twelfth century, with a documented spelling Asteelinus Goodman recorded in the Book of Winton in 1115 during the reign of King Henry I. This places the name among the earliest surnames to be formally written down in the United Kingdom.
The etymology of Goodman is rooted in the Old English words gōd, meaning “good”, and mann, meaning “man”. The surname was originally used as a nickname for an individual judged to be trustworthy and honourable, or as a status name for someone of high social standing. Accordingly, a person named Goodman would be regarded as good‑natured, reliable, or possessed of high moral character.
In Scotland, the surname has a parallel history that includes three main origins. Firstly, it may denote a household head; in this sense it again derives from gōd plus the suffix -man, employed to indicate a position of authority. Secondly, the name could refer to a landowner who held his estate not directly from the Crown but from a subordinate nobleman authorized by the king. Thirdly, it may stem from an earlier Anglo‑Saxon personal name, Guethmund, composed of the elements gueth (battle) and mund (protection). The latter possibility relates to a pre‑seventh‑century origin, reflecting a range of names that extolled martial virtues and authority.
Historical variant spellings of the name include Godman, Goddman, Goodman, Goudman, and Gutman, illustrating the fluid nature of medieval orthography. A notable ecclesiastical record notes the marriage of Thomas Goodman to Parnell Dewey on 28 May 1561 at St James, Clerkenwell, London, evidencing the surname's continued use into the sixteenth century.
The Goodman arms, granted to the family, are blazoned as per pale black and ermine, with a silver two‑headed eagle displayed. The heraldic description highlights the family's association with noble dignity and sovereign authority.
Typical given names associated with the Goodman surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Robert
Female
- Anne
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Jane
- Karen
- Lisa
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Goodman in...
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Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Goodman are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Custard Cream.
There are approximately 15,227 people named Goodman in the UK. That makes it the 579th most common surname in Britain. Around 234 in a million people in Britain are named Goodman.
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 Goodman
- John Goodman - American actor, voice artist, and comedian
- Len Goodman - Professional ballroom dancer
- Tom Goodman-Hill - Actor
- Ruth Goodman - Freelance historian
- Henry Goodman - Actor
- Helen Goodman - Politician
- Paul Goodman - Politician
- Don Goodman - Football player
- Clive Goodman - Journalist
- Arnold Goodman, Baron Goodman - Lawyer and political advisor (1913 to 1995)
- George Goodman - American author and economics commentator (1930 to 2014)
- Martin Goodman - Historian
- Jake Goodman - Football player
- Roy Goodman - Conductor and violinist
- George Goodman - Fighter pilot in the Royal Air Force (1920 to 1941)
- Dave Goodman - Record producer and musician (1951 to 2005)
- Elinor Goodman - Journalist
- Geoffrey Goodman - Journalist (1922 to 2013)
- Jon Goodman - Sports scientist
- Lea Haggett-Goodman - High jumper
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.