2010
#158,432
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Godlock
Of British origin, a locational surname derived from the British place name "Godlock".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 116 Americans carry the last name Godlock. That puts it at #155,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,954,779 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Godlock 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
116
1 in 2,954,779
Census rank
#155,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
101
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 101 bearers of the surname Godlock in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 155270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Godlock, the largest self-reported group is Black at 89.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%) and White (3.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Godlock
The surname "Godlock" is of English origin, originating in the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English words "god" meaning good and "lock" meaning lock, possibly referring to a skilled locksmith or maker of high-quality locks.
This surname first appeared in historical records in the county of Derbyshire, England, where it was likely an occupational name for a skilled locksmith or someone associated with the craft of lock-making. It is thought to have originated in the village of Glossop, in the Peak District region of Derbyshire.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the 1296 Subsidy Rolls of Derbyshire, where a William Godlock is listed as a taxpayer in the village of Glossop. This suggests that the name had already become established in the area by the late 13th century.
In the 16th century, the surname appeared in various spellings such as "Godloke," "Godlok," and "Godlocke" in parish records and legal documents throughout Derbyshire and neighboring counties. This variation in spelling was common during this period before standardized spellings became more widespread.
One notable person with the surname Godlock was John Godlock, a prominent merchant and landowner in the city of Derby in the late 16th century. He was born around 1550 and owned several properties in the city and surrounding areas.
Another early record of the name is found in the 1642 Protestation Returns for the county of Staffordshire, where a Richard Godlock is listed as a resident of the village of Uttoxeter.
In the 18th century, the surname appears in various parish records and legal documents in the counties of Derbyshire, Staffordshire, and Cheshire, indicating the spread of the name throughout the region.
One notable figure from this period was William Godlock, a successful farmer and landowner in the village of Longnor, Derbyshire. He was born in 1725 and owned several acres of land in the area.
By the 19th century, the surname had become more widespread throughout England, with individuals bearing the name appearing in various records and documents across the country.
One notable individual from this period was Henry Godlock, a renowned botanist and horticulturist born in 1830 in the city of Manchester. He made significant contributions to the study and cultivation of various plant species and published several influential works on the subject.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Godlock
Among Census respondents with the surname Godlock, the largest self-reported group is Black at 89.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%) and White (3.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Godlock 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 Godlock surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American89.1% · 90
- Hispanic or Latino5.0% · 5
- White3.0% · 3
- Two or more races3.0% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Godlock
Godlock appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#155,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
-1 bearers (-1.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 3,162 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #158,432 | 102 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #155,270 | 101 | 0.03 | -1 bearers (-1.0%) | Up 3,162 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 Godlock 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 | #158,432 | #155,270 | 2.0% |
| Count | 102 | 101 | -1.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.03 | 12.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Godlock bearers went from 102 to 101 (-1.0% change). The surname moved up 3,162 positions in the national ranking, going from #158,432 to #155,270.
FAQ
Godlock surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Godlock?
Name Census estimates that about 116 living Americans carry the surname Godlock. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,954,779 residents.
How common is Godlock?
Godlock ranks #155,270 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 101 people with the surname Godlock. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (116), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Godlock.
Has Godlock become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Godlock went from 102 recorded bearers to 101. That is a decrease of 1 (-1.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #158,432 to #155,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Godlock?
Among Census respondents with the surname Godlock, the largest self-reported group is Black at 89.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%) and White (3.0%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Godlock in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.1% (90 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Godlock appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (89.1%), Hispanic (5.0%), White (3.0%). 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 Godlock (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 Godlock mean?
Of British origin, a locational surname derived from the British place name "Godlock". 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 Godlock (0.03 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 are called Godlock?
Want to know how many people are called Godlock? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.