The Goodall surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 5,193 people carried this name — #6,526 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 56,800 people counted. That is up 1% from 5,134 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Goodall surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘of Goldale’.

An early record he cites: Villa de Goldale, 1379 — Poll Tax, West Riding of Yorkshire.

His entry covers Goodale and Goodall.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 326 · public domain.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Goodall was found among the farmers of 5 counties.

It was most frequent in Derbyshire: 31 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 323. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Derbyshire 31
Cheshire 11
Nottinghamshire 10
Shropshire 10
Staffordshire 10

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In Scotland’s registers today

Goodall was recorded 24 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 1003rd most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 38. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In print

Goodall in American newspapers,
1917–1929.

Newspaper page from The Ironton News carrying the name Goodall
The Ironton News 1929-04-12
Newspaper page from The Oglala Light carrying the name Goodall
The Oglala Light 1917-03-01

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 51,382 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Goodall in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2000s.

31,865 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Goodall. The most, 5,123, date from the 1930s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Victoria, at 1.8 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Victoria 12,601
New South Wales 7,124
Queensland 4,762
South Australia 3,077
Western Australia 2,027
Tasmania 1,993
ACT (Canberra) 231
Northern Territory 6

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Goodall.

Who carried it

People named Goodall,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Charles Goodall
    Charles Goodall 1642–1712 · physician
  • Charles Goodall
    Charles Goodall 1642–1712 · physician
  • John Goodall d. 1725 · politician
  • Samuel Goodall d. 1801 · naval officer
  • Emily Goodall d. 1944
  • Joan Elizabeth Goodall d. 1994

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Goodall,
in the records of 6 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States713 records

713 records of the Goodall name in the United States
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 174
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 156
  • Other U.S. records 383
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Howard A. Goodall

    Born 1919 in Maine. Enlisted 1942 at Bangor; lumberman from Aroostook County. U.S. Army veteran; died 2000, buried at Island Falls Cemetery, Maine.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Cody O. Goodall

    Born 1924 in Kentucky. Enlisted 1944 at Louisville; farmer from Butler County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 2000, buried at Margie Foote C/O, Louisville, Kentucky.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Hannah Goodall

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Teutonic from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 21; mill hand. From Liverpool, England; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 713 records for Goodall in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia1,097 records

1,097 records of the Goodall name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 526
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 199
  • Other Australian records 372
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record William Goodall

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Lady Harewood, sailing from London in 1829. Native of Broseley, Shropshire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1836. Married 1836 in Campbell Town, Tasmania.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Thomas Charles Goodall

    Died 1924 in Hospital, Zeehan, Tasmania. Will registered in Tasmania in 1924.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Elizabeth Goodall

    Arrived in Victoria in 1852 aboard the Prince Alfred, aged 46; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 1,097 records for Goodall in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · City of Ballarat, Avenue of Honour Plaques (CC BY 3.0 AU). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada92 records

92 records of the Goodall name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 37
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 22
  • Other Canadian records 33
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Albert Edward Goodall

    Killed in the Halifax Explosion of 1917, aged 26; buried at St John's Cemetery, Halifax.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record James Goodall

    Came to Ontario in 1869 aboard the Serapis, landing at Quebec, bound for Malton, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Charles Everett Goodall

    Buried in 1981 at Mount Hermon Cemetery, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, aged 79.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.

Showing 3 of 92 records for Goodall in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

United Kingdom63 records

63 records of the Goodall name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 44
  • Stirling Council burial records 11
  • Other British records 8
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record James Goodall

    Buried in 1932 at Snowdon Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 67.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Eliz.th Goodall

    Buried in 1848 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 71.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record Alexander Goodall

    Died 1918. Named in the Union Bank of Scotland Ltd. roll of honour 1914-1918.

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)

Showing 3 of 63 records for Goodall in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand25 records

25 records of the Goodall name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 14
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 5
  • Other New Zealand records 6
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Eleanor Goodall

    Died 1936, aged 55; buried at Sydenham Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Clorene Rita Goodall

    Died 1995, aged 72; buried at Totara Memorial Park Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record R. Goodall

    New Zealand Infantry. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 25 records for Goodall in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

France5 records

5 records of the Goodall name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Roger Martin Goodall

    Born 1937 in the United Kingdom; died 1992 in Ergny (Pas-de-Calais).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Elisabeth Mathilde Goodall

    Born 1916 in Montreuil-Bellay (Maine-et-Loire); died 2001 in Beaulieu-les-Fontaines (Oise).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record John Arnold Goodall

    Born 1922 in Great Britain; died 1996 in Périgueux (Dordogne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 3 of 5 records for Goodall in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Goodall.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Goodall is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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