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Goodwin Family History

Goodwin Surname Meaning

English: from the Middle English personal name Godwin (Old English Gōdwine). Compare Godwin.

Irish: adopted in Mayo for Ó Goidín a variant of Ó Godáin ‘descendant of Godán’ a diminutive personal name from got ‘stammering lisping’.

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


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Where is the Goodwin family from?

You can see how Goodwin families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Goodwin family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Goodwin families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 646 Goodwin families living in Nova Scotia. This was about 35% of all the recorded Goodwin's in Canada. Nova Scotia had the highest population of Goodwin families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Goodwin 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 Goodwin ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Goodwin. 29% of Goodwin men worked as a Farmer and 16% of Goodwin women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Goodwin were Laborer and Student.

View Census Data for Goodwin | 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
    29%
  • Labourer
    10%
  • Fisherman
    9%
  • Laborer
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Housekeeper
    16%
  • Stenographer
    11%
  • Farmer
    10%
  • Student
    9%

What Goodwin family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 637,000 census records available for the last name Goodwin. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Goodwin census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Goodwin

Passenger Lists

There are 62,000 immigration records available for the last name Goodwin. 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 Goodwin immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 93,000 military records available for the last name Goodwin. For the veterans among your Goodwin ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Goodwin military records

You've only scratched the surface of Goodwin family history

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What is the average Goodwin lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Goodwin life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Goodwin in 1940 was 59, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Goodwin

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Goodwin 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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