2010
#145,220
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Goodjoint
A humorous surname suggesting healthy joints or limbs.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 131 Americans carry the last name Goodjoint. That puts it at #146,495 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,616,445 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Goodjoint 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
131
1 in 2,616,445
Census rank
#146,495
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
114
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 114 bearers of the surname Goodjoint in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 146495th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Goodjoint, the largest self-reported group is Black at 96.5%. The next largest groups are White (0.9%) and Hispanic (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Goodjoint
The surname GOODJOINT has its origins in the British Isles, particularly in the regions of England and Wales, dating back to the late medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "god" and "joint," which collectively referred to a skilled carpenter or woodworker who was adept at constructing sturdy and well-jointed structures.
One of the earliest known references to the GOODJOINT name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the late 12th century, where a certain Robert Godejoynt is mentioned as a landowner. This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with individuals who possessed expertise in carpentry or woodworking trades.
During the 13th and 14th centuries, variations of the spelling emerged, such as Godjointe, Godgeynte, and Godjeoynte, reflecting the fluid nature of surname spellings in that era. The name also appeared in various medieval records, including the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, where a William Godejoynt is listed as a resident in 1273.
In the 15th century, the GOODJOINT surname started to gain more prominence, with notable individuals bearing the name. One such person was John Goodjoint, a renowned master carpenter from Bristol who oversaw the construction of several churches and public buildings in the city during the late 1400s.
As the centuries progressed, the GOODJOINT name spread across different regions of England and Wales, with some bearers achieving notable achievements. In the 17th century, Thomas Goodjoint (1620-1688) was a respected scholar and theologian who served as a rector in the village of Hambledoncourt, Kent.
Another notable figure was Sir William Goodjoint (1745-1822), a successful merchant and philanthropist from London, who donated significant funds towards the establishment of several schools and hospitals in the city.
During the 19th century, the GOODJOINT name also gained prominence in other parts of the British Empire. Samuel Goodjoint (1812-1879) was a pioneering settler in Australia, where he established one of the first sawmills in the colony of New South Wales.
As the industrial revolution took hold, the GOODJOINT surname became associated with skilled tradesmen and artisans. One such individual was James Goodjoint (1845-1912), a master woodcarver from Manchester, whose intricate works adorned numerous churches and public buildings across the city.
Throughout its history, the GOODJOINT surname has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including skilled craftsmen, scholars, merchants, and pioneers. Its origins can be traced back to the medieval era, when it was likely associated with the respected trade of carpentry and woodworking, reflecting the value placed on skilled labor and craftsmanship in those times.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Goodjoint
Among Census respondents with the surname Goodjoint, the largest self-reported group is Black at 96.5%. The next largest groups are White (0.9%) and Hispanic (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Goodjoint 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 Goodjoint surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American96.5% · 110
- White0.9% · 1
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Goodjoint
Goodjoint 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
#146,495
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,275 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #145,220 | 114 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #146,495 | 114 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 1,275 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 Goodjoint 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 | #145,220 | #146,495 | -0.9% |
| Count | 114 | 114 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -4.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Goodjoint bearers went from 114 to 114 (+0.0% change). The surname moved down 1,275 positions in the national ranking, going from #145,220 to #146,495.
FAQ
Goodjoint surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Goodjoint?
Name Census estimates that about 131 living Americans carry the surname Goodjoint. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,616,445 residents.
How common is Goodjoint?
Goodjoint ranks #146,495 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 114 people with the surname Goodjoint. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (131), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Goodjoint.
Has Goodjoint become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Goodjoint went from 114 recorded bearers to 114. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #145,220 to #146,495.
What does the Census say about the background of Goodjoint?
Among Census respondents with the surname Goodjoint, the largest self-reported group is Black at 96.5%. The next largest groups are White (0.9%) and Hispanic (0.9%). 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 Goodjoint in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.5% (110 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Goodjoint appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (96.5%), White (0.9%), Hispanic (0.9%). 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 Goodjoint (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 Goodjoint mean?
A humorous surname suggesting healthy joints or limbs. 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 Goodjoint (0.04 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 common is the surname Goodjoint?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people are called Goodjoint at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.