Goodwin
/ˈɡʊd.wɪn/noun
An English surname and given name, originally from a personal name meaning “good friend.”
Did you know?Goodwin comes from the Old English personal name Godwine, built from words for “good” and “friend,” a reminder that names were once protective social charms, not just labels.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
Godwine
“A personal name meaning “good friend” or “friend of God” depending on interpretation of the first element”
11th Century
English
Godwin
“A common Anglo-Saxon personal name, borne famously by the powerful Earl Godwin of Wessex”
Middle English
English
Goodwin
“A later spelling and surname form of the old personal name”
Modern English
English
Goodwin
“A surname and occasional given name”