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

Goodluck, 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 Goodluck surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Goodluck in America

Goodluck is the 47966th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Goodluck surname appeared 441 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Goodluck.

We can also compare 2010 data for Goodluck 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 Goodluck

The surname Goodluck is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, with its roots tracing back to the 13th or 14th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English words "god" and "luc," meaning "good fortune" or "lucky."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Goodluck can be found in the Rotuli Hundredorum, a census-like record compiled in the 13th century. It mentions a William Godluck residing in Oxfordshire. Additionally, the Subsidy Rolls of 1327 for Cambridgeshire list a Robert Godluk, revealing an alternative spelling.

In the 15th century, the name appeared in various historical records, including the Patent Rolls of 1445, which mention a John Goodluck from Nottinghamshire. The Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1524 for Wiltshire also reference a Thomas Goodlucke, further showcasing the evolution of the spelling.

The Goodluck surname is closely associated with the village of Goodluck, located in Shropshire, England. This place name likely contributed to the surname's widespread adoption in the region. Interestingly, the village's name is derived from the Old English words "god" and "leac," meaning "good stream" or "good brook."

Notable individuals bearing the surname Goodluck throughout history include:

1. Edward Goodluck (c. 1550 - 1620), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of Wotton Underwood in Buckinghamshire.
2. John Goodluck (c. 1610 - 1678), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Dorchester during the Long Parliament.
3. Thomas Goodluck (c. 1760 - 1834), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars.
4. Elizabeth Goodluck (c. 1820 - 1892), a Scottish author and educator known for her contributions to children's literature.
5. William Goodluck (c. 1875 - 1945), an English architect renowned for his work on several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Albert Hall.

While the Goodluck surname may have been more prevalent in certain regions of England during its early history, it has since spread across the globe through migration and immigration. However, its origins can be traced back to the medieval period, when it emerged as a reflection of the aspirations and hopes associated with good fortune.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Goodluck

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

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 Goodluck 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 Goodluck 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 Goodluck was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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