GOODWIN
This is a copy of an article published in
The Peak Advertiser, the Peak District's local free newspaper,
on 26th January 2004,
reproduced by kind permission of the author, the late Desmond Holden.
The “What's in a Name” series was a regular
feature in the Advertiser over the period 1993‑2004,
taking a refreshing look at the derivation of some typically
Derbyshire surnames.
Articles are confined to the origins and meanings of surnames,
and do not indicate any particular interest on Desmond's part in
the genealogy, descent, or family history of individuals bearing
the surnames featured.
Editor's Note: Articles are provided for general interest and
background only. They are not intended to provide an exhaustive treatise
for any individual family history - investigations of which may yield
quite different results. Or, in Desmond's own words:
“In the end it must remain with individual bearers of the names to
draw upon family traditions and to seek out such documentary
evidence as is available to decide the matter for themselves.”
WHAT'S IN A NAME …
Are you called GOODWIN or GODWIN?
The request for information about this surname has come from
Perth in Western Australia. Otherwise it is also well-represented
locally with some 200 entries in our directory. There are few
variations in the spelling and none is significant. Godwin is the
authentic form because it conforms with its Old English original
spelling. Alternative arrangements, in the absence of special
circumstances, might be conscious archaisms.
A very particular interest attaches itself to this name, not only
for its intriguing etymology but also on account of its having
started life as a personal name. Whether this is an instance of
the modern trend for adopting surnames as first names or a
deliberate revival of the old personal name is debatable.
One of the more appealing characteristics of human beings is a
desire to form friends and in Old English society this was
reflected in the name "Goodwin" for which a rough and ready
rendering in modern parlance would be "best mate".
The two units forming the name can best be discussed separately.
The word "god" in Old english meant "good" and was similarly
pronounced. Hence in an early translation of the Gospels (c. 998)
the reference in Matthew VII - 7 to "Every good tree..." appears
as "Alc god treow", and it is not until about 1279 that the
spelling "good" is adopted. It must be emphasised that the word
"god" as applicable to mythology has a differing origin.
This interchange between "god" and "good" certainly is
perplexing. It helps to understand that "god" (in this context)
was pronounced "good". This may be confirmed by noting the
Cumbrian usage of "gewd" and the Scots "guid." The word has
similar counterparts in many northern languages:- "gut" (German),
"godnyi" (Russian), "gad" (Norwegian). This points to the word
having a common origin and research suggests an Old Teutonic word
"godo" which meant "to assemble". The "assembly" as related to
the meaning of "good" was interpreted as the accumulation of all
that was excellent or desirable. This also reveals an interesting
point of grammar. Just as the word "unique" is independent and
admits of no qualification, disregarding such solecisms as "very
unique" or "most unique", so also was the understanding of the
word "good". At a very early period in the development of our
language "good" was recognised as an absolute term and no
qualification could be admitted. Hence the expected forms
"gooder" and "goodest" were not constructed and the irregular
forms "better" and "best" evolved separately. A discussion about
their development, although fascinating is not relevant here.
As has been mentioned, the original form of "good" lay in the
Germanic "godo". Among its meanings was not only "to assemble"
but also "to gather". At first this word was spelt "gadder" to
correspond with the original Teutonic source. This spelling
persisted until about the 16th century. For example, Chaucer says
(Canterbury Tales 1386) "Up rose our host and gaddered us
togidere". The modem "-th-" spelling dates from the time of
Shakespeare. This point makes the connection of Good and Gather
certainly intriguing.
The unit "win" now is associated with carrying off prizes or a
victory. Originally it was related to notions that were pleasant
and agreeable. A description of an ancient city (1397) refers to
the city walls as "win to behold." Although now somewhat old-
fashioned, to describe somebody as being "winsome" implies their
having an attractive personality. Similar ideas lie behind the
reference to "winning way". In Old English the spelling was "wyn"
which changed to "win" during the 16th century. A commentary on
the Apostles' Creed (1275) explains that the traditional release
of Souls in Hell was "a win for dwellers of Middle Earth" (i.e. a
pleasant experience). Note that wine - a beverage which holds
pleasure, and with collective drinking helps to foster friendly
relations - is a related term.
For such reasons "Godwin" was one of the most popular names among
our Medieval Ancestors. Among the earliest records may be
included Walter Godwin of Norfolk (1170) and John Gudwyn of York
(1388). In Scotland it was imported into some of the eastern
lowland counties and it is known that a steward of the royal
household bore the name in 1127. The corresponding Gaelic form in
Ireland was O Diagghaudh which was rendered as Goodwin and later
back-translated taking the spelling "O'Day". The dangerous
sandbanks off the Kent Coast called the "Goodwin Sands" take
their name from a former owner called Earl Godwin who died in
1059. The second highest mountain in the world, Godwin-Austen -
was named after a member of the Trigonometrical Survey of India.
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© Desmond Holden
From "The Peak Advertiser", 26th January 2004.
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