Surname Godding - Meaning and Origin

Godding: What does the surname Godding mean?

The last name Godding is of English origin and is believed to be a nickname derived from the Middle English word godding, which meant "godly" or "noble." It may have referred to someone who was perceived as being especially devoutly religious or honorable. Alternatively, an English surname "Goding" is classified as a locational surname, since it is derived from Heyden le Goding, the Lord of Norton, a township in the North Riding of Yorkshire. It is possible that the name has ties to this location.

In modern times, the surname is thought to refer to someone who has strong religious convictions, is morally upstanding, or is of noble character. It is a strong surname that holds a sense of pride and that is usually passed down through generations. The reputation of the name also carries over to those who carry it today.

Despite its noble origin, the last name Godding is not overly common. It is most often found in England, Scotland, and Ireland and in small pockets in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Godding: Where does the name Godding come from?

The last name Godding is most commonly found in parts of the United Kingdom, particularly England, and Ireland, although smaller numbers are scattered across the globe. The earliest records of this name date back to the early 1100s, in the county of Somerset, England, with a mention of the first Godding family in the area, in the Parish of Brentmarsh.

The Godding name maintained a relatively strong presence in the southwest portion of the country, particularly in Devon and Somerset. In just Devon alone, there have been records of residences of this surname back as far as 1552. The spread of the name was relatively slow, compared to other areas of England, likely due to a lack of opportunity to move to other communities, leading to a concentration of this surname over centuries in this small corner of the country.

The Godding name has also been found in Ireland since at least the 12th century, starting with those who eventually settled in Wexford and Wicklow counties. The Goddings living in Ireland often had some association with England, but were of either Irish or English origin.

Recorded immigration of the Godding surname to the United States began as early as the mid-1800s, with the majority of these immigrants hailing from England and Ireland. Today, the Godding surname is most heavily concentrated in the south and south-eastern parts of England, but is scattered relatively evenly across the UK. There are also small numbers of their descendants in countries across the world, having left their native homes in search of new opportunities.

Variations of the surname Godding

The surname Godding is of English origin, and the variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin are Goodding, Gooding, Goading, Gooddings, Goodeing, Godding, Goddens, Gooteen, Gudin, Gudyn, Gudion and Godyng.

Most of the variants, spellings and surnames of Godding tend to be more common in Scotland and Northern England, although the surname is also found in some other parts of the world. In Scotland, the variant versions of Godding tend to be slightly different in spelling, such as Gooteen.

Goodding is the most frequently encountered variant of Godding, and is commonly encountered alongside main branches of the surname. This variant is believed to originate from an early available spelling of the name which evolved into the modern spelling we know today.

Gooding is another main variant, and is believed to derive from variants of Goodding found in some parts of the UK. The spelling of Gooding is often seen in Devon and Cornwall, and is less common in other parts of the UK.

The variants Goading, Goddens and Gudin are all found primarily in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. Goading appears to be a much later variant and is not found in any other parts of the UK.

Godding is another variant which may be a corrupted form of Godding, derived in a similar way to Goodding. This surname has been found quite widely in parts of England including Yorkshire, Lancashire and Staffordshire.

The variants Gudyn, Gudion and Godyng are all found in Sussex and other parts of the South East and are thought to have much the same origin as Goodding and Godding.

In conclusion, the surname Godding and its variants have been present in England since at least the 13th Century. The main variants of this surname are Goodding, Gooding, Goading, Goddens, and Gudin, while other less commonly found variants are Gudyn, Gudion and Godyng.

Famous people with the name Godding

• Katherine Goding: Character on the series, "Paradise Beach".
• Warren Goding: Product Designer and Founder of the Goding Design Company.
• Timothy Goding: Artist known for his abstract landscape paintings.
• David Goding: American Film Producer and Founder of the Goding Pictures Production Company.
• Eric Goding: American cartoonist whose work has appeared in several newspapers.
• Frank Goding: President and CEO of the Goding & Associates Investment Corporation.
• Robert Goding: American writer and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist.
• Chrissy Goding: American singer, songwriter, and voice-over artist.
• Jamie Goding: British composer and musician.
• Roger Goding: Canadian lawyer and Former Executive member of the Alberta Bar Association.

Other surnames

Goddin