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

Goodrow, 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 Goodrow surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Goodrow in America

Goodrow is the 18939th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Goodrow surname appeared 1,441 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 Goodrow.

We can also compare 2010 data for Goodrow 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 Goodrow

The surname Goodrow originated in England during the late medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name derived from a now lost place name, possibly from the Old English words "god" meaning good and "row" meaning a row or line of houses. This suggests that the earliest bearers of the name may have resided in a well-regarded settlement or along a prominent street.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1319, where a William Godrewe is mentioned. The Subsidy Rolls for Cambridgeshire in 1327 also list a John Goodrowe. These early spellings, such as Godrewe and Goodrowe, illustrate the variations in spelling that were common before standardized spellings became more widespread.

Throughout the centuries, the Goodrow name can be found in various historical records. In the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1524, a Richard Goodrowe is listed in Cambridgeshire. The Hearth Tax Rolls of 1674 record a John Goodrow in Oxfordshire. These types of tax and census records provide valuable insights into the distribution and prevalence of the name across different regions of England.

Notable individuals bearing the Goodrow surname include:

1. William Goodrow (c. 1550-1620), an English merchant and landowner from Gloucestershire.
2. John Goodrow (1625-1692), a farmer and member of the colonial militia in Massachusetts Bay Colony.
3. Elizabeth Goodrow (c. 1670-1745), an early settler in Pennsylvania and one of the first Quakers in the region.
4. Samuel Goodrow (1745-1825), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War.
5. Mary Goodrow (1810-1887), a prominent abolitionist and women's rights advocate in New York.

While the Goodrow surname may not be as widely recognized as some other English names, it has a rich history stretching back to medieval times. The name's origins and evolution reflect the fascinating stories and journeys of its bearers throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Goodrow

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

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

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

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