# Godwin (surname)

Source: https://namelineage.com/surname/godwin/  
Publisher: Name Lineage. Counts from the US Census Bureau; origin and etymology from Wiktionary; bearers from Wikidata. Data updated 2026-11-11.

A surname originating as a patronymic based on a medieval given name.

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Origin | English |
| Type | patronymic, formed from a father’s (or ancestor’s) given name |
| People in the US (2010 Census) | 22,628 |
| US rank (2010) | 1,583 of 162,253 |
| How often | about 1 in every 13,644 people |
| Change since 2000 | +2.6% (22,062 in 2000) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɡɒdwɪn/, 2 syllables |
| Variant spellings | none recorded |

## Etymology

From Old English Godwine (“God's friend”). The component -win is from Old English wine (“friend”). The second meaning is named after Michael Wayne Godwin (born 1956), American attorney and author.

## Who carries it

Share of people named Godwin in the 2010 US Census by the Census's own race and ethnicity groups. The Census suppresses a share when the count behind it is small.

| Group | Share |
|---|---|
| White (not Hispanic) | 81% |
| Black (not Hispanic) | 12% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.1% |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 0.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.7% |
| Two or more races | 2.0% |

## Where

Wikidata records people named Godwin in the United States and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

## People named Godwin

- Mike Godwin, American attorney and author
- Linda M. Godwin, American astronaut
- Elija Godwin, American athlete
- Gail Godwin, American novelist and short story writer
- Mills E. Godwin, American politician (1914-1999)
- Tom Godwin, American writer (1915–1980)
- Chris Godwin, American football player (born 1996)
- Edward William Godwin, British architect (1833-1886)
- George Godwin, British architect (1813-1888)

## Similar surnames

Goodwin, Goodwine, Gooden, Goodin, Godin, Godina, Goodwyn, Gaytan, Guyton, Gaitan, Gudino, Gideon.

## How to read these numbers

A Census count is people alive and counted in 2010, not births, and names occurring fewer than 100 times are not published at all. Ethnicity shares are the Census's own categories.