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

Goodman, 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 Goodman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Goodman in America

Goodman is the 451st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Goodman surname appeared 73,136 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 25 people would have the surname Goodman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Goodman 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 Goodman

The surname Goodman has its origins in England, where it first appeared in the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "gōd" meaning "good" and "mann" meaning "man." The name was originally used as a descriptive term for a moral, upright, or virtuous man.

In the early days, surnames were often occupational or descriptive, and Goodman was likely bestowed upon individuals who were seen as exemplary members of their community. The name appeared in various early records, such as the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, which mention a William Godeman.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Goodman can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which lists a Robert Godeman in Oxfordshire. This document was a survey of landowners in England commissioned by King Edward I.

Another notable early reference is the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which include a John Godeman. These rolls were tax records that provide valuable information about the distribution of surnames in medieval England.

In the 15th century, the Goodman surname appeared in the Paston Letters, a collection of correspondence between members of the influential Paston family in Norfolk. One letter from 1472 mentions a John Goodman who was a servant to Sir John Paston.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Goodman. One of the earliest was John Goodman (c. 1592-1664), an English Puritan clergyman and botanist who was one of the first settlers of Newbury, Massachusetts.

Another prominent figure was Benjamin Goodman (1839-1893), an English agricultural chemist and former president of the Royal Agricultural Society. He made significant contributions to the understanding of soil fertility and crop nutrition.

In the literary world, Walter Goodman (1838-1912) was a renowned English novelist and playwright, best known for his works "The Wonderful Visit" and "The Divorce of Lady Russell."

On the artistic front, John Goodman (1909-1980) was a highly acclaimed American painter and printmaker, celebrated for his abstract expressionist works and his influential role as a teacher at the Art Students League of New York.

Finally, Benny Goodman (1909-1986), known as the "King of Swing," was an American clarinetist and bandleader who played a pivotal role in the development and popularization of swing music during the 1930s and 1940s.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Goodman

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

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

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

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