2000
#12,566
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,261
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.84
Rare Last name
Godina
A Slavic surname derived from the word "godina," meaning "year" or "time," likely referring to a significant event or period.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,963 Americans carry the last name Godina. That puts it at #11,624 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.86 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 115,678 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Godina surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
3.0K
1 in 115,678
Census rank
#11,624
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.6K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,584 bearers of the surname Godina in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.86 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 11624th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Godina, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 88.4%. The next largest groups are White (11.0%) and Two or More Races (0.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Godina
The surname Godina is of Slavic origin and is believed to have originated in the region that is now modern-day Croatia and Serbia. It likely emerged during the Middle Ages, around the 12th or 13th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Slavic word "godina," which means "year" or "harvest," suggesting that the name may have been initially used to refer to someone who worked in agriculture or was responsible for keeping track of the annual harvests.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Godina can be found in a document from the city of Dubrovnik (formerly known as Ragusa), dating back to the late 15th century. The document mentions a merchant named Ivan Godina, who was involved in trade with neighboring regions. This provides evidence that the name was already in use and well-established by that time.
Another early reference to the Godina surname is found in the records of the Venetian Republic, where a nobleman named Nikola Godina is mentioned as having participated in diplomatic negotiations with the Venetians in the early 16th century. This suggests that the name had spread beyond its initial geographical origins and was present among the upper classes as well.
In the 17th century, a notable figure bearing the Godina surname was Marko Godina (1620-1687), a Croatian writer and scholar who authored several works on history and philosophy. He is considered one of the most influential intellectuals of his time in the Dalmatian region.
During the 18th century, the name Godina appears to have been particularly prevalent in the town of Sinj, located in central Dalmatia. Records from this period mention several individuals with this surname, including Jure Godina (1710-1782), a prominent local landowner and philanthropist who funded the construction of a church and a school in the town.
In more recent history, one of the most notable individuals with the surname Godina was Ante Godina (1923-2008), a Croatian artist and sculptor who gained recognition for his monumental public works and abstract sculptures. His works can be found in various cities across Croatia and several other European countries.
While the surname Godina has its roots in the Slavic regions of the Balkans, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange. However, the historical records and references mentioned here provide insight into the name's origins and its long-standing presence in the regions that are now part of Croatia and Serbia.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Godina
Among Census respondents with the surname Godina, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 88.4%. The next largest groups are White (11.0%) and Two or More Races (0.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Godina bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Godina surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino88.4% · 2,283
- White11.0% · 285
- Two or more races0.3% · 8
- Black or African American0.2% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.1% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Godina
Godina appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#10,064
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,203
+942 bearers (+41.7%)
Per 100,000 1.09
Rank movement Up 2,502 places
2020
#11,624
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,584
-619 bearers (-19.3%)
Per 100,000 0.86
Rank movement Down 1,560 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,566 | 2,261 | 0.84 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,064 | 3,203 | 1.09 | +942 bearers (+41.7%) | Up 2,502 places |
| 2020 | #11,624 | 2,584 | 0.86 | -619 bearers (-19.3%) | Down 1,560 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Godina surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #10,064 | #11,624 | -15.5% |
| Count | 3,203 | 2,584 | -19.3% |
| Per 100K | 1.09 | 0.86 | -20.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Godina bearers went from 3,203 to 2,584 (-19.3% change). The surname moved down 1,560 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,064 to #11,624.
FAQ
Godina surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Godina?
Name Census estimates that about 2,963 living Americans carry the surname Godina. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 115,678 residents.
How common is Godina?
Godina ranks #11,624 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.86 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,584 people with the surname Godina. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,963), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.86 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.86 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Godina.
Has Godina become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Godina went from 3,203 recorded bearers to 2,584. That is a decrease of 619 (-19.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #10,064 to #11,624.
What does the Census say about the background of Godina?
Among Census respondents with the surname Godina, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 88.4%. The next largest groups are White (11.0%) and Two or More Races (0.3%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Godina in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.4% (2,283 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Godina appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (88.4%), White (11.0%), Two or More Races (0.3%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Godina (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Godina mean?
A Slavic surname derived from the word "godina," meaning "year" or "time," likely referring to a significant event or period. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Godina (0.86 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Godina?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.