NameCensus.

UK surname

Godin

A French occupational surname for a metalworker or smith, derived from the Old French word "godon" meaning "smith."

In the 1881 census there were 69 people recorded with the Godin surname, ranking it #23,816 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 138, ranked #25,127, down from #23,816 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Edmonton, Loughton and St Leonard Shoreditch. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cherwell, Isle of Anglesey and Wealden.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Godin is 143 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 100.0%.

1881 census count

69

Ranked #23,816

Modern count

138

2016, ranked #25,127

Peak year

1911

143 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Godin had 69 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,816 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 138 in 2016, ranked #25,127.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 143 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Godin surname distribution map

The map shows where the Godin surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Godin surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Godin over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 48 #24,615
1861 historical 69 #25,057
1881 historical 69 #23,816
1891 historical 99 #24,200
1901 historical 141 #18,718
1911 historical 143 #18,401
1997 modern 120 #24,158
1998 modern 141 #22,517
1999 modern 133 #23,487
2000 modern 133 #23,462
2001 modern 126 #23,883
2002 modern 132 #23,680
2003 modern 134 #23,260
2004 modern 137 #23,098
2005 modern 131 #23,737
2006 modern 133 #23,711
2007 modern 126 #24,860
2008 modern 132 #24,476
2009 modern 125 #25,823
2010 modern 123 #26,728
2011 modern 125 #26,220
2012 modern 138 #24,614
2013 modern 138 #25,020
2014 modern 138 #25,218
2015 modern 136 #25,352
2016 modern 138 #25,127

Geography

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Where Godins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Edmonton, Loughton, St Leonard Shoreditch, Kingston-on-Thames and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cherwell, Isle of Anglesey and Wealden. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Edmonton Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 Loughton Essex
3 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
4 Kingston-on-Thames Surrey
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cherwell 014 Cherwell
2 Cherwell 013 Cherwell
3 Isle of Anglesey 009 Isle of Anglesey
4 Wealden 021 Wealden
5 Wealden 008 Wealden

Forenames

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First names often paired with Godin

These lists show first names that appear often with the Godin surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Godin

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Godin, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Godin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Godin household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Godin is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Godin is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Godin falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Godin is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Godin, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Godin

The surname Godin is of French origin, with roots dating back to the 12th century. It is a patronymic surname derived from the Old French personal name "Godewin," which itself is a compound of the Germanic elements "god" (good) and "wine" (friend).

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Godin can be found in various medieval records from the northern regions of France, particularly in Normandy and Picardy. These include mentions in the Livre des Bourgeois d'Arras, a 13th-century register of citizens from the city of Arras.

In the 14th century, the surname Godin appeared in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and properties across England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This suggests that individuals bearing this name had likely migrated from France to England during the Norman Conquest.

During the Middle Ages, the Godin family established itself as a prominent lineage in the region of Burgundy, France. One notable member was Jean Godin (c. 1350-1415), a wealthy merchant and landowner who served as the mayor of Dijon in the early 15th century.

In the 16th century, a branch of the Godin family settled in the Netherlands, where they became influential in the textile industry. Pieter Godin (1532-1594), a successful cloth merchant from Leiden, is considered one of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname in the Low Countries.

Another notable figure was André Godin (1616-1689), a French mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the development of celestial mechanics. He was a member of the French Academy of Sciences and served as the Royal Cartographer to King Louis XIV.

In the 18th century, the Godin name gained prominence in literary circles with the French author and philosopher Émilie Godin (1738-1810), known for her works on education and women's rights.

The 19th century saw the emergence of Louis Godin (1803-1876), a French utopian socialist and industrialist who founded the Familistère, an experimental communal living complex in Guise, France.

Throughout its history, the surname Godin has also been associated with various place names, such as Godinsart in Belgium and Goderville in Normandy, France, further highlighting its deep-rooted presence in these regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Godin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Godin surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 40 Godins recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.94x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 40 5.94x
Surrey 20 6.10x
Essex 4 3.01x
Kent 2 0.87x
Yorkshire 2 0.30x
Hampshire 1 0.72x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bethnal Green London in Middlesex leads with 21 Godins recorded in 1881 and an index of 71.82x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 21 71.82x
Battersea 8 32.30x
Merton 8 1403.51x
Mile End Old Town London 8 55.83x
Kingston On Thames 4 50.76x
Walthamstow 4 83.68x
Edmonton 3 55.35x
St George Hanover Square 3 25.30x
St Pancras London 3 5.54x
Minster In Sheppey 2 52.63x
Shoreditch London 2 6.85x
Manningham 1 12.17x
Pocklington 1 158.73x
Portsea 1 3.70x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Godin surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Godin surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Henry 4
John 4
George 3
James 3
Alfred 2
William 2
Arthur 1
Daniel 1
Edward 1
Frank 1
Hy. 1
Lewis 1
Mark 1
Muriel 1
Phillip 1
Ralph 1
Robert 1
Stephen 1
Walter 1
Wilfred 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Godin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Godin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 69 people were recorded with the Godin surname. That placed it at #23,816 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Godin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 138 in 2016. That gives Godin a modern rank of #25,127.

What does the Godin surname mean?

A French occupational surname for a metalworker or smith, derived from the Old French word "godon" meaning "smith."

What does the Godin map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Godin bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.