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Goddard Family History

Goddard Name Meaning

English (of Norman origin): from Godhard a personal name composed of the ancient Germanic elements gōd ‘good’ or god got ‘god’ + hard ‘hardy brave strong’. The name was popular in Europe during the Middle Ages as a result of the fame of Saint Gotthard an 11th-century bishop of Hildesheim who founded a hospice on the pass from Switzerland to Italy that bears his name. This surname is also borne by Ashkenazic Jews presumably as an Americanized form of one or more similar (like-sounding) Jewish surnames. English: perhaps occasionally a variant of the occupational name Gothard . The two surnames may have been much confused. French: variant of Godard a cognate of 1 above. Altered form of French Gaudet .

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Gothard, Gossard, Howard, Godard, Godeaux, Gillard, Guitard, Edward

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Where is the Goddard family from?

You can see how Goddard families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Goddard family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Goddard families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 250 Goddard families living in Ontario. This was about 45% of all the recorded Goddard's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Goddard families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Goddard surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Goddard ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Goddard. 31% of Goddard men worked as a Farmer and 32% of Goddard women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Goddard were Salesman and Student. .

View Census Data for Goddard | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Farmer
    31%
  • Laborer
    12%
  • Labourer
    9%
  • Salesman
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Housekeeper
    32%
  • Stenographer
    18%
  • Servant
    18%
  • Student
    7%
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What Goddard family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 344,000 census records available for the last name Goddard. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Goddard census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Goddard

Passenger Lists

There are 27,000 immigration records available for the last name Goddard. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

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Draft Cards

There are 30,000 military records available for the last name Goddard. For the veterans among your Goddard ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Goddard lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Goddard life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Goddard in 1942 was 29, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Goddard

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