NameCensus.

UK surname

Godkin

A surname derived from the medieval personal name "Godkin", a diminutive of "God".

In the 1881 census there were 85 people recorded with the Godkin surname, ranking it #21,573 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 153, ranked #23,408, down from #21,573 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Burton-on-Trent, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Loughborough. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire West and Chester, Amber Valley and Pembrokeshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Godkin is 157 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 80.0%.

1881 census count

85

Ranked #21,573

Modern count

153

2016, ranked #23,408

Peak year

2014

157 bearers

Map years

5

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Godkin had 85 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,573 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 153 in 2016, ranked #23,408.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 114 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Godkin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Godkin surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Godkin 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 59 #22,756
1861 historical 51 #27,498
1881 historical 85 #21,573
1891 historical 105 #23,241
1901 historical 90 #24,021
1911 historical 114 #21,064
1997 modern 126 #23,461
1998 modern 131 #23,495
1999 modern 134 #23,378
2000 modern 133 #23,462
2001 modern 128 #23,665
2002 modern 126 #24,393
2003 modern 122 #24,628
2004 modern 121 #24,939
2005 modern 125 #24,398
2006 modern 128 #24,267
2007 modern 136 #23,708
2008 modern 128 #24,901
2009 modern 141 #23,907
2010 modern 145 #24,031
2011 modern 148 #23,520
2012 modern 148 #23,457
2013 modern 153 #23,314
2014 modern 157 #23,101
2015 modern 151 #23,613
2016 modern 153 #23,408

Geography

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Where Godkins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Burton-on-Trent, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Loughborough, Nottingham St Mary and Preston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheshire West and Chester, Amber Valley, Pembrokeshire and South Ribble. 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 Burton-on-Trent Staffordshire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 Loughborough Leicestershire
4 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
5 Preston Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire West and Chester 011 Cheshire West and Chester
2 Amber Valley 005 Amber Valley
3 Pembrokeshire 003 Pembrokeshire
4 South Ribble 004 South Ribble
5 South Ribble 011 South Ribble

Forenames

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First names often paired with Godkin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Godkin

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Godkin, 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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

City Support Workers

Within London, Godkin is most associated with areas classed as City Support Workers, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

Scattered throughout Inner London, these areas house relatively few workers in the most senior roles within organisations, and greater prevalence of administrative roles relative to the Supergroup mean. Residents are less likely to be of Chinese ethnicity and are more likely to have been born in Africa. Relative to the Supergroup average, residents are also more likely to live in social housing and live in overcrowded conditions.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Godkin is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Godkin falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Godkin is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Godkin

The surname Godkin has its roots in England, with records dating back to the late 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "god" and "cyn," meaning "good" and "kin" or "family," respectively. This suggests the name may have originally referred to a person of noble or virtuous lineage.

One of the earliest documented mentions of the Godkin surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1195, which recorded a person named Godwin de Godechine. This spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time, with various forms such as Godkyn, Godekyn, and Godkin emerging in different regions.

During the medieval period, the Godkin name appeared in several historical records, including the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which listed individuals like William Godekyn in Oxfordshire and Roger Godekyn in Cambridgeshire. The Subsidy Rolls of 1327 also mentioned a John Godekyn in Warwickshire.

One notable figure bearing the Godkin surname was Sir Thomas Godkin (c. 1550-1604), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Tregony, Cornwall, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another prominent individual was James Godkin (1806-1879), an Irish-born journalist and political writer who founded the Nation newspaper in New York City.

Other historical figures with the Godkin surname include Reverend William Godkin (1565-1616), an English clergyman who served as the Rector of Newington in Kent, and Edwin Lawrence Godkin (1831-1902), an American journalist and editor-in-chief of The Nation magazine and The Evening Post.

In the artistic realm, John Godkin (1886-1965) was a British painter and illustrator known for his works depicting rural scenes and landscapes, while William Godkin (1918-1996) was a Canadian novelist and short story writer whose works explored themes of identity and the human condition.

The Godkin name has also been associated with various locations, such as the village of Godkin in Somerset, England, and the Godkin Township in Atchison County, Missouri, United States, which was likely named after a family bearing this surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Godkin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Godkin 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. Lancashire leads with 19 Godkins recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.93x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 19 1.93x
Nottinghamshire 14 12.53x
Leicestershire 13 14.14x
Derbyshire 11 8.47x
Staffordshire 9 3.22x
Cheshire 6 3.28x
Surrey 6 1.49x
Gloucestershire 4 2.46x
Berkshire 2 3.21x
Buckinghamshire 1 2.00x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Loughborough in Leicestershire leads with 13 Godkins recorded in 1881 and an index of 311.75x.

Place Total Index
Loughborough 13 311.75x
Preston 10 37.99x
Burton Upon Trent 9 137.40x
Nottingham St Mary 9 31.14x
Monks Coppenhall 6 86.83x
Pentrich 6 821.92x
Rotherhithe 6 58.59x
Toxteth Park 6 18.01x
Bitton Oldland 4 240.96x
Bramcote 3 1428.57x
Ilkeston 3 82.42x
Blackburn 2 7.64x
Derby St Werburgh 2 26.70x
Strelley 2 2857.14x
Wokingham 2 140.85x
Great Missenden 1 161.29x
Woodplumpton 1 285.71x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Thomas 4
George 3
James 3
John 3
Joseph 3
Samuel 3
William 3
Arthur 2
Edward 2
Henry 2
Archie 1
Geo.Hy. 1
Harry 1
Infant 1
Leonard 1
Robert 1
Sydney 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Godkin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Godkin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 85 people were recorded with the Godkin surname. That placed it at #21,573 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Godkin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 153 in 2016. That gives Godkin a modern rank of #23,408.

What does the Godkin surname mean?

A surname derived from the medieval personal name "Godkin", a diminutive of "God".

What does the Godkin map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Godkin 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.