Find out how popular the last name Godbey is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Godbey.

Godbey, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Godbey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Godbey in America

Godbey is the 12921st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Godbey surname appeared 2,379 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Godbey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Godbey to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Godbey

The surname Godbey has its origins in England, tracing back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "god" and "beo," which together translates to "good bee" or "industrious one." This likely referred to a hardworking or diligent individual, indicating a possible occupational surname.

The name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Derbyshire and Staffordshire during the Middle Ages. Early records show variations in spelling, such as Godeby, Godbie, and Godby, reflecting the lack of standardized spelling practices in those times.

One of the earliest documented references to the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire from 1203, which mentions a Robert Godeby. The Godbeys are also listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Derbyshire and Staffordshire from the late 13th century.

In the 14th century, a notable figure bearing the surname was John Godbey, a landowner and merchant from Derby who left a substantial inheritance to his family upon his death in 1379. Another prominent individual was Sir William Godbey, a knight and military commander who fought in the Hundred Years' War during the 1400s.

The name Godbey can be linked to various place names in England, such as Godby in Lincolnshire and Godeby in Leicestershire. These place names may have influenced the surname's spelling and regional variations.

During the 16th century, the Godbeys were well-established in the county of Derbyshire. One notable figure was Thomas Godbey (1545-1617), a successful merchant and landowner who served as a bailiff in Derby.

In the 17th century, the Godbeys spread to other parts of England, including London and the surrounding counties. Robert Godbey (1612-1678) was a prominent London merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers.

As the centuries progressed, the Godbey surname continued to be found across various regions of England, with individuals from this family making contributions in various fields, including agriculture, trade, and community leadership.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Godbey

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Godbey.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Godbey was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Godbey has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Godbey was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Godbey, please contact us.

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