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Godfrey Family History

Godfrey Surname Meaning

English (of Norman origin): from the Norman personal name Godefrei Godefroi(s) composed of the ancient Germanic elements god got ‘god’ + frid(u) fred ‘peace’. See also Jeffrey.

Irish: shortened and Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Gothraidh or Ó Gothraidh ‘descendant of Gothfrith’ an Old Norse personal name often Anglicized as Godfrey.

Compare McGorry McCaffrey.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Godfrey family from?

You can see how Godfrey families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Godfrey family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Godfrey families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 357 Godfrey families living in Ontario. This was about 46% of all the recorded Godfrey's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Godfrey families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Godfrey surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Godfrey ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Godfrey. 26% of Godfrey men worked as a Farmer and 25% of Godfrey women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Godfrey were Clerk and Saleslady.

View Census Data for Godfrey | 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
    26%
  • Labourer
    17%
  • Laborer
    10%
  • Clerk
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Housekeeper
    25%
  • Stenographer
    16%
  • Teacher
    10%
  • Saleslady
    7%

What Godfrey family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 347,000 census records available for the last name Godfrey. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Godfrey census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Godfrey

Passenger Lists

There are 33,000 immigration records available for the last name Godfrey. 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.

View all Godfrey immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 54,000 military records available for the last name Godfrey. For the veterans among your Godfrey ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Godfrey military records

You've only scratched the surface of Godfrey family history

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What is the average Godfrey lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Godfrey life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Godfrey in 1941 was 47, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Godfrey

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Godfrey ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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