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

Goodwill, 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 Goodwill surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Goodwill in America

Goodwill is the 18467th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Goodwill surname appeared 1,498 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Goodwill.

We can also compare 2010 data for Goodwill 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 Goodwill

The surname Goodwill is of English origin, derived from the Middle English words "good" and "will," which together mean "good intentions" or "kindness." It first emerged as a descriptive surname in the 13th century, likely referring to someone with a generous or benevolent nature.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Goodwill dates back to 1273 in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, where a man named William Godewill is mentioned. It's believed that this spelling variation arose from the Norman-French influence on the English language during that period.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various forms, such as Godewyll, Godwyll, and Godwylle, as evidenced in records from Essex, Suffolk, and Hertfordshire. These variations reflect the inconsistencies in spelling and pronunciation common during the Middle Ages.

One notable historical figure bearing the surname Goodwill was John Goodwill, a English clergyman and scholar who lived in the late 15th century. He was appointed as the Archdeacon of Richmond in 1494 and later became the Dean of Christ Church, Oxford, in 1497.

Another significant individual was William Goodwill, an English merchant and politician who served as the Sheriff of London in 1593. He was a prominent figure in the City of London and played a role in the establishment of several charitable institutions.

During the 17th century, the surname Goodwill appeared in various records, including parish registers and wills. One notable example is Thomas Goodwill, a landowner from Gloucestershire, whose will was recorded in 1633.

In the 18th century, the surname Goodwill was found across various parts of England, with concentrations in counties like Worcestershire, Oxfordshire, and Gloucestershire. One prominent individual from this period was Richard Goodwill, a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War.

As the centuries progressed, the surname Goodwill continued to spread throughout different regions of England, with some families migrating to other parts of the British Isles and eventually to other parts of the world, including the United States and Canada.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Goodwill

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

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

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

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