The Goode surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 22,356 people carried this name — #1,605 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 13,200 people counted. That is up 5% from 21,226 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Goode surname

Variant of Good.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Goode» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a nickname: ‘the good’ — the first of the origins he gives.

An early record he cites: Richard le Gode, Somerset, 1327–28 (1 Edward III) — Kirby's Quest (Somerset).

His entry covers Good and Goode.

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

In the Nordic population registers

51 people named Goode is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 51

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Goode was found among the farmers of Northamptonshire: 15 in every 10,000.

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

Northamptonshire 15

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 print

Goode in American newspapers,
1891–1918.

Newspaper page from Corvallis Gazette carrying the name Goode
Corvallis Gazette 1905-10-17
Newspaper page from Evening Capital Journal carrying the name Goode
Evening Capital Journal 1891-07-06
Newspaper page from Grainger County News carrying the name Goode
Grainger County News 1918-02-14

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 191,684 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Goode in Australian newspapers,
1830s–1990s.

68,783 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Goode. The most, 13,051, date from the 1910s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in South Australia, at 4.7 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

South Australia 38,714
New South Wales 10,852
Victoria 9,560
Western Australia 4,671
Queensland 3,847
Tasmania 833
ACT (Canberra) 187
Northern Territory 64

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

Who carried it

People named Goode,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Solon L. Goode d. 1917 · writer
  • Basil Goode d. 2004 · painter
  • Betty Gay Ingham d. 2005
  • Adela Georgina Victorine Goode d. 1939
  • Christabel Joan Goode d. 1983
  • Sebastian Goode 1599– · politician

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Goode,
in the records of 9 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 States1,862 records

1,862 records of the Goode name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 835
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 388
  • Other U.S. records 639
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record John Goode

    Born 1930; from Mobile County, Alabama. U.S. Army, light weapons infantryman; killed in action 1950 in South Korea. Buried at Mobile National Cemetery, Alabama.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (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 William H. Goode

    Born 1909 in Virginia. Enlisted 1942 at New York City; porter from New York County, New York. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1984, buried at Calverton National Cemetery, New York.

    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 Maria Goode

    Arrived at New York in 1835 aboard the Robert Pulsford from Havre, aged 26; farmer. From Baden, Germany; bound for Pittsburgh.

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

Showing 3 of 1,862 records for Goode in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia832 records

832 records of the Goode name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 443
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 191
  • Other Australian records 198
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Thomas Goode

    Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1830. Married 1830 in Sorell, Tasmania.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. 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 John Goode

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Florentia, arriving 1828; ticket of leave 1842.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record John Goode

    Arrived in Victoria in 1854 aboard the Asiatic, aged 27; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 832 records for Goode in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Netherlands171 records

171 records of the Goode name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 92
  • Dutch population registers 71
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 8
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Frederik Johannes Goode

    Married in 1855 in Amsterdam; painter. Died 1916 in Castricum, aged 83.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Anna Geertruida Goode

    Born 1895 in Haarlem. Married in 1916 in Rotterdam. Died 1950 in Rotterdam, aged 54.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Hendrik Goode

    Born 1916 in Rotterdam. Married in 1942 in Rotterdam.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 171 records for Goode in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Canada80 records

80 records of the Goode name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 48
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 13
  • Other Canadian records 19
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record Allen H. Goode

    Killed in 1952 at the Springhill No. 2 mine, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Leonard Crawford Goode

    Buried in 1995 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 84.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Carol Ann Goode

    Died 1948; buried at Brookside Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.

Showing 3 of 80 records for Goode in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

United Kingdom38 records

38 records of the Goode name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 32
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 4
  • Other British records 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record William Goode

    Buried in 1812 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 67.

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

    Died 1917. Named in the roll of honour (1926).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record H. Goode

    Leicestershire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

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

Showing 3 of 38 records for Goode in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · Stirling Council. 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 Zealand17 records

17 records of the Goode name in New Zealand Christchurch City cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Emma Johns Goode

    Died 1952, aged 72; buried at Bromley 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 Norman Claude Goode

    Died 1968, aged 69; buried at Waimairi Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Sarah Goode

    Died 1936, aged 89; buried at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 17 records for Goode in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Ireland4 records

4 records of the Goode name in Ireland County Galway graveyard records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Agnes Goode

    Died 1952; buried at Clontuskert, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record James Goode

    Died 1986; buried at Clontuskert, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 4 records for Goode in Ireland.

Counts: Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France2 records

2 records of the Goode 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 Roy Goode

    Born 1908 in Saint-Jean-de-Braye (Loiret); died 1993 in Villejuif (Val-de-Marne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Jean Gaston Raymond Goode

    Born 1939 in Dieppe (Seine-Maritime); died 1994 in Amiens (Somme).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

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).

Germany1 record

1 record of the Goode name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Wilhelm Goode

    From Herrnburg i. Meckl. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 16 February 1915 (Infantry Regiment No. 175).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Goode.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Goode is.
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