This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. 'the son of Godwin'; v. Goodwin. The common suffix -win was corrupted to -in and -trig apart from French forms; compare Gunning for Gunwin, Bodden or Boddin for Baldwin. Thus the —g— is excrescent. It is manifest, however, that most of the instances below are French forms, v. Golden.

Godin de Bech, Cambridgeshire, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Godun le Bere, Cambridgeshire ibid.

Roger Godin, Cambridgeshire, ibid.

William Godin, Oxfordshire, ibid.

John fil. Goding, Huntingdonshire, ibid.

Alice Goding, Cambridgeshire, ibid.

Alice Godon, Oxfordshire, ibid.

Gaudinus de Albo Monast, 10 Henry III. I: Testa de Nevill, sive Liber Feodorum, temp. Henry III-Edward I.

Gaudinus de Aseby, Lincolnshire, 20 Edward I: Placita de Quo Warranto, temp. Edward I-III.

(English and Scandinavian) God-Friend [Old Englishgod=O.N. goð, God, a god + Old English wine = Old Norse vin-r, a friend] Godwine was especially common in England in the 10th and 11th centuries.

King Harold called one of his sons Godwine after his famous father.

Though both these have the same derivation viz. Old-English god (good) wine (friend), in Ireland, when not of immigrant origin, they are synonyms of different native names: Godwin for O’Dea in Connacht (but not in Clare, the homeland of the O’Deas); Goodwin for MacGoldrick in Tyrone and for MacGuigan in Cos. Derry and Tyrone

(English) Descendant of Godwin (God’s friend).

A well-known personal name of Teutonic origin. In Domesd. it is very common.

Same as Goodwin or Gooden, derived from God or good. Saxon, and win, conqueror, that is, a conqueror in God, converted or victorious in God.

"In one of those battles fought between Edmund the Anglo—Saxon, and Canute the Dane, the Danish army being routed and forced to fly, one of their principal captains named Ulf lost his way in the woods. After wandering all night, he met at daybreak a young peasant driving a herd of oxen whom he saluted, and asked his name. 'I am Godwin, the son of Ulfnoth,' said the young peasant, 'and thou art a Dane. ' Thus, obliged to confess who he was, Ulf begged the young Saxon to show him the way to the Severn, where the Danish ships were at anchor. 'It is foolish in a Dane, ' replied the peasant, 'to expect such a service from a Saxon; and besides, the way is long, and the country people are all in arms. ' The Danish chief drew off a gold ring from his finger, and gave it to the shepherd as an inducement to be his guide. The young Saxon looked at it for an instant with great earnestness, and returned it, saying, 'I will take nothing from thee, but I will try to conduct thee. ' Leading him to his father's cottage, he concealed him there during the day; when night came on, they made preparations to depart together. As they were going, the old peasant said to Ulf, 'This is my only son, Godwin, who risks his life for thee. He cannot return among his countrymen again; take him, therefore, and present him to thy King, Canute, that he may enter into his service. ' The Dane promised, and kept his word. The young Saxon peasant was well received in the Danish camp, and rising from step to step by the force of his talents, he afterward became known over all England as the great Earl Godwin."

Geoffry and Roger Godvinne, Normandy, 1198 (Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae); Walter Godvein, England, 1199 (Rotuli Curiae Regis); Roger, Thomas, William, &c., Godwine, c. 1272 (Rotuli Hundredorum).

The name of Godwin occurred in Wilts 600 years ago, and at that time the name was also frequent in the adjacent county of Oxford, where it is still to be found in fair numbers (H. R.).