NameCensus.

UK surname

Goodin

A surname of Anglo-Saxon origin, derived from a nickname meaning "good" or "virtuous."

In the 1881 census there were 154 people recorded with the Goodin surname, ranking it #15,259 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 219, ranked #18,422, down from #15,259 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bedford St Mary, Milton and Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Aylesbury Vale, Mid Suffolk and Barking and Dagenham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Goodin is 255 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 42.2%.

1881 census count

154

Ranked #15,259

Modern count

219

2016, ranked #18,422

Peak year

1999

255 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Goodin had 154 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,259 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 219 in 2016, ranked #18,422.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 230 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Goodin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Goodin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Goodin 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 222 #9,597
1861 historical 222 #10,993
1881 historical 154 #15,259
1891 historical 188 #15,609
1901 historical 230 #13,851
1911 historical 207 #14,635
1997 modern 239 #15,718
1998 modern 248 #15,772
1999 modern 255 #15,599
2000 modern 243 #16,053
2001 modern 230 #16,415
2002 modern 225 #16,994
2003 modern 212 #17,454
2004 modern 210 #17,644
2005 modern 218 #17,170
2006 modern 226 #16,891
2007 modern 234 #16,706
2008 modern 236 #16,736
2009 modern 239 #16,951
2010 modern 234 #17,544
2011 modern 224 #17,891
2012 modern 227 #17,630
2013 modern 230 #17,756
2014 modern 228 #17,977
2015 modern 223 #18,165
2016 modern 219 #18,422

Geography

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Where Goodins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bedford St Mary, Milton, Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth, London parishes and Preston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Aylesbury Vale, Mid Suffolk, Barking and Dagenham, North Kesteven and Birmingham. 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 Bedford St Mary Bedfordshire
2 Milton Cambridgeshire
3 Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth Cambridgeshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Preston Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Aylesbury Vale 017 Aylesbury Vale
2 Mid Suffolk 001 Mid Suffolk
3 Barking and Dagenham 008 Barking and Dagenham
4 North Kesteven 008 North Kesteven
5 Birmingham 076 Birmingham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Goodin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Goodin

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Goodin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Goodin household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Goodin is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Goodin 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

Goodin falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Goodin is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Goodin

The surname Goodin has its origins in England, emerging during the medieval period, specifically in the 13th century. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from a place name, possibly "Goodwin" or a variation thereof.

The earliest recorded instance of the name can be traced back to the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it appears as "Godwine." This entry suggests that the name may have originated from the Old English personal name "Godwine," which translates to "friend of God" or "divine friend."

In the 14th century, the name appears in various records with spelling variations such as "Godwyn," "Godwyne," and "Goodwyn." These variations reflect the evolution of the name over time and the influence of local dialects and scribal interpretations.

One notable historical figure with the surname Goodin was Sir William Goodin, a prominent landowner and knight who lived in the late 15th century. He is mentioned in several historical documents from that era, including land grants and legal proceedings.

Another significant bearer of the name was John Goodin, born in 1587, who was a renowned scholar and theologian. He published several works on religious subjects and held influential positions within the Church of England.

In the 17th century, the name appears in the parish records of various English counties, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Nottinghamshire. This suggests that the Goodin family had established roots in different regions of the country by that time.

The surname Goodin can also be found in connection with several place names across England, such as Goodwin Sands, a treacherous sandbank located off the coast of Kent. This association further reinforces the locational origins of the name.

Prominent individuals with the surname Goodin include Sir Francis Goodin (1612-1687), a renowned military commander who served in the English Civil War, and Elizabeth Goodin (1733-1804), a celebrated author and poet of her time.

While the surname Goodin is not among the most common in England, its historical roots and associations with notable figures contribute to its rich heritage and enduring presence in the country's annals.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Goodin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Goodin 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. Oxfordshire leads with 23 Goodins recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.79x.

County Total Index
Oxfordshire 23 24.79x
Middlesex 18 1.20x
Durham 14 3.13x
Bedfordshire 11 14.14x
Cambridgeshire 11 11.56x
Surrey 10 1.37x
Leicestershire 9 5.40x
Nottinghamshire 9 4.44x
Lancashire 7 0.39x
Somerset 6 2.48x
Devon 5 1.60x
Yorkshire 5 0.34x
Flintshire 4 9.91x
Gloucestershire 4 1.36x
Lincolnshire 4 1.67x
Norfolk 4 1.73x
Angus 3 2.16x
Suffolk 3 1.64x
Warwickshire 3 0.79x
Kent 1 0.20x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wheatley in Oxfordshire leads with 17 Goodins recorded in 1881 and an index of 3269.23x.

Place Total Index
Wheatley 17 3269.23x
Escomb 14 682.93x
Bedford St Mary 11 550.00x
Islington London 9 6.18x
Bottisham 6 740.74x
Wigston Magna 6 271.49x
Shelswell 5 25000.00x
Bristol St George 4 29.35x
Congresbury 4 655.74x
Croydon 4 9.84x
Esher 4 392.16x
Everton 4 7.04x
Flint 4 174.67x
Milton 4 1428.57x
Nottingham St Mary 4 7.64x
Plymouth St Andrew 4 16.60x
St Luke London 4 16.60x
Aston 3 2.88x
Great Ryburgh 3 833.33x
Leicester St Margaret 3 7.39x
Newmarket St Mary 3 214.29x
St Vigeans 3 39.95x
Sutton In Ashfield 3 68.34x
Sutton Stoneferry 3 70.42x
Northolt 2 769.23x
Radford 2 19.44x
Scothern 2 800.00x
Barrow In Furness 1 4.13x
Bow London 1 5.23x
Farmborough 1 227.27x
Fen Ditton 1 294.12x
Fulham London 1 4.59x
Leeds 1 1.19x
Little Bolton 1 4.36x
Margate St John Baptist 1 10.66x
Plymouth Charles The 1 7.26x
Reigate Foreign 1 12.61x
Shotover 1 1000.00x
Southwark St Saviour 1 12.95x
St Pancras London 1 0.83x
Stretford 1 10.19x
Walsoken 1 71.94x
Wells St Cuthbert Out 1 51.28x
Whaplode Drove 1 250.00x
Wildmore 1 322.58x
York St Andrew 1 714.29x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 12
Thomas 10
John 7
Charles 5
Arthur 4
George 4
James 4
Harry 3
Walter 3
Elijah 2
Frederick 2
Joseph 2
Sidney 2
Alfred 1
Andrew 1
Benjamin 1
Cyrinim 1
David 1
Edward 1
Eli 1
Enoch 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
G.C. 1
Herbert 1
Jabez 1
Jonathan 1
Robert 1
Saml. 1
Samuel 1

FAQ

Goodin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Goodin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 154 people were recorded with the Goodin surname. That placed it at #15,259 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Goodin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 219 in 2016. That gives Goodin a modern rank of #18,422.

What does the Goodin surname mean?

A surname of Anglo-Saxon origin, derived from a nickname meaning "good" or "virtuous."

What does the Goodin map show?

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