Nick 'the good,' corresponding to French le bon.

Richard le Gode, Somerset, 1 Edward III: Kirby's Quest.

(a) Bapt. 'the son of Gode.' This is the source of most of our Goods; compare Goodwin and Godwin as compounds.

Goda Herrt, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

William fil. Gode, ibid.

Goda Poggel, ibid.

Norman fil. Gode, ibid.

Goda de Castre, ibid.

Gode de Scorham, temp. 1300: Cartularium Abbatiale de Whiteby, Ordinis S. Benedicti.

Hawen Cropure et Gude uxor ejus, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Goda de Berewyk, Henry III-Edward I: Testa de Nevill sive Liber feodorum in Curia Scaccarii. Temp. Henry III & Edward I.

Hugo Gud, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Cecilia Gud, 1379: ibid.

Robertus Godde and Elena uxor ejus: ibid.

Willelmus Gude: ibid.

1402. Goda Pope: Cal. of Wills in Court of Husting (2).

1770. Married — Bartholomew Goode and Mary Caporn: St. George, Hanover Square.

1805. — Abraham Good and Elizabeth Turner: ibid.

This surname is derived from a nickname. 'the wildgoose,' from some characteristic resemblance to the habits of the bird.

Alicia Wyldguse, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Robertus Wyldgose, souter, 1379: ibid.

Simon Wildegose, Close Rolls, 2 Richard II.

1582-3. John Wylgose, Sussex: Register of the University of Oxford.

1603. Buried — William Wildgoose, servant to William Pickering: St. Dionis Backchurch.

1774. Married — John Wildgoose and Catherine Garvie: St. George, Hanover Square.

(1) probably from the Old English personal name Goda or Gode. (2) shortened from a personal name, as Goodman, Goodrich, Goodwin. (3) less probably, I think, from the adjective 'good'. George Gude and Mariota Hommyll, his spouse, are mentioned in 1517 (RSS., I, 2946; for many additional references to him see Inchcolm, p. 135). Thomas Gude, bailie of Lowdoun, Ayr, 1533 (Laing, 390). John Gwid, mason, was builder of the tower of Pollok, 1536 (Pollok, I, p. 271), and John Gud held a tenement in Glasgow, 1555 (Protocols, l). Herbert Guld was infeft in lands of Auchencairn, 1561 (Nisbet, I, p. 219). Magnus Guld, retoured heir of James Guld in Kirkwall, 1636, may be the Magnus Good, merchant and burgess of the same town, 1648 (Retours, Orkney, 23, 55). George Good was author of Liberton in ancient and modern times, Edinburgh, 1893. Godde 1564, Gud 1554.

John Wildguse who was canon of Aberdeen in 1366 (REA., II, p. 58), is probably the Johannes Wylgus in record in Moray, c. 1391 (REM., p. 129). Andro Wilgues occupied the subdean's croft and mains within the canonry of Ross, c. 1560 (OPS., II, p. 415), and John Wilgus in Levtoun was assizor on witch trial in Aberdeen, 1596 (SCM., I, p. 110). Thomas Vilguis was admitted burgess of Aberdeen in 1612 (NSCM., I, p. 110). In 1613 Gilbert Wilguis and Thomas Wilguiss, baxters, "wer convict for baking of eat breid against the statuttis" of the burgh of Aberdeen (SCM., V, p. 8), and Gilbert Wilguis, most probably the person just named, appears as member of council of the same burgh in 1620 (CRA., p. 370). There were tenants of this name in N. Leask and Knapleask in 1696 and "the burriel ground of the Wildgooses" still remains in the parish of Slains. Probably Willgook, which appears at the same time, is another form of the name. It is still known in Buchan, particularly in Peterhead district. Three persons of this name were on an assize at Stable of Slains in 1597 (Jervise, II, p. 248). Searle gives Wilgils as an Old English personal name, and Barber has Wildgis which I cannot find elsewhere.

1 a nickname or sign-name from the Goose [Middle English go(o)s, Old English gós] John le Gos.—Parl. Writs.

2 for Goss(e, q.v.

From excellence of character, like the French Le Bon.

"The nobility of the goose is not so obvious as that of the swan. Yet it was in ancient and honourable use as a man's name. Genseric, the name of the great Vandal chief, is referred by Grimm to gabserich, a gander. But it was no doubt the wild goose that gave the name; and if we consider, we shall see that this bird has some qualities calculated to command the respect of those early roving tribes. A powerful bird, strong on the wing, taking long flights to distant lands, marshalled with the most beautiful discipline of instinct, it formed no inapt emblem of those migratory plunderers who renewed their unwelcome visitations with each succeeding spring," Ferguson. The name Goose is nut unusual in East Anglia, and Gosland, Gosnell, Goalee, local surnames, appear to be from this source, as well, perhaps, as Goss, Anglo-Saxon Le Gos is the H.R. form.

For Wood.

From Com. gûs, a wood. It may sometimes be the same with Goss, Gosse, Gass. Graff suggests that Goz in Old German names is another form of Gaud, which is most probably Goth; to which Försteman refers the Old German names Gauso, Gozzo, Gossa, Modern German Gause and Goss. (See Furguson. ) Gas, Gass, Gasse, Cas, Casse may sometimes be from Cassandra; or even from the Danish, gasse, a gander.

The same as Wilgoss, Willgoss, the Old German Willigis and Wilgis, and the Anglo-Saxon Wilgis, a name which occurs in the genealogy of the Northumbrian kings. It might translate very warlike, or very strong, from fil, much, full; gais, a spear; from the Gael, gais, geis, a weapon peculiar to the old Gauls, whence the L. gœsum, Gr. γαισος, a weapon; Gael, gaisge, valor; gaisgeach, a hero.

From the Dutch, Goos; from the Flemish, Gous; from the French, Gosse, Gouis; from the Swedish, Gooes; in the Domesday Book, Gos; a personal name.

Goose: a very likely sign for a shop where feathers and down were sold for beds and pillows. We have the name among us under the old form of Goss. Gosling is not the young of a goose in nomenclature, but Gauscelin or Joscelyn.