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Goodnight Family History

Goodnight Surname Meaning

Americanized form of German Gutknecht and perhaps also of its Dutch equivalent Goedknegt.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Goodnight family from?

You can see how Goodnight families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Goodnight family name was found in the USA, and the UK between 1840 and 1920. The most Goodnight families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 12 Goodnight families living in Kentucky. This was about 27% of all the recorded Goodnight's in USA. Kentucky had the highest population of Goodnight families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Goodnight surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Goodnight ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Goodnight. 22% of Goodnight men worked as a Laborer and 12% of Goodnight women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Goodnight were Truck Driver and Maid.

View Census Data for Goodnight | 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.

United States shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    22%
  • Farmer
    21%
  • Farming
    5%
  • Truck Driver
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    12%
  • Housewife
    9%
  • Housework
    8%
  • Maid
    7%

What Goodnight family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 12,000 census records available for the last name Goodnight. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Goodnight census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Goodnight

Passenger Lists

There are 325 immigration records available for the last name Goodnight. 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 Goodnight immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Goodnight. For the veterans among your Goodnight ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Goodnight military records

You've only scratched the surface of Goodnight family history

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What is the average Goodnight lifespan?

Between 1953 and 2004, in the United States, Goodnight life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Goodnight in 1953 was 28, and 80 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Goodnight

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Goodnight 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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