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Irish surname

Godfrey: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Gothfraid (also Ó Gothraidh, Mac Gothradha) · 'son of Godfrey', a Teutonic personal name (Woulfe); Ó Gothraidh is 'descendant of Gothfraith' (God-peace)

Woulfe (1923) prints Godfrey in several separate entries. Under Gothfraid it is 'son of Godfrey', a Teutonic personal name very common among the Normans. Under Ó Gothraidh he gives a not uncommon surname in East Limerick and Tipperary, and under Mac Gothradha a 'son of Godfrey' name that also lists Godfrey. In 1890, 18 Godfrey entries were counted in Ireland including spelling varieties (17 spelled Godfrey).

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Coat of arms associated with the Godfrey surname
Irish formGothfraid (also Ó Gothraidh, Mac Gothradha)
Meaning'son of Godfrey', a Teutonic personal name (Woulfe); Ó Gothraidh is 'descendant of Gothfraith' (God-peace)
CountiesEast Limerick and Tipperary, Mayo, Tipperary and Kerry
Other spellings2

Origin of the Godfrey name

Woulfe: Godfrey, 'son of Godfrey,' a Teutonic personal name, 'very common among the Normans, by whom it may be said to have been introduced into England'. Separately, Ó Gothraidh, 'descendant of Gothfraith', is 'a not uncommon surname in East Limerick and Tipperary'; the family is 'probably of Danish descent'.[1][2]

  1. 189018 Godfrey entries in Ireland including spelling varieties (17 spelled Godfrey).[4]

Where in Ireland

Co. East Limerick and TipperaryWoulfe: Ó Gothraidh a not uncommon surname there; family old in that district.[2]
Co. Mayo, Tipperary and KerryMatheson 1890: counties in which Godfrey was principally found.[4]

Other spellings

Godefraye · Godefrey[1]

The Godfrey coat of arms

The design shown is a coat of arms associated with the Godfrey surname. In Irish and British heraldry a coat of arms is granted to one person and passes to their heirs; it does not belong to everyone who shares the surname. Many families still use the arms of their name as a symbol of their heritage.

Godfrey crest gifts

Clan Godfrey Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap NV48 Godfrey Coat Of Arms Irish Cap Godfrey Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap£26.00Clan Godfrey Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapFO59 Classic Cap - Godfrey Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Godfrey Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap£33.00

Godfrey surname: questions

What does the surname Godfrey mean?

Woulfe gives Godfrey as 'son of Godfrey', a Teutonic personal name, very common among the Normans. For the Irish family Ó Gothraidh he gives 'descendant of Gothfraith' (God-peace).[1][2]

Is Godfrey an Irish name?

Woulfe prints Godfrey under more than one origin. One is a Teutonic personal name common among the Normans; another is Ó Gothraidh, a not uncommon surname in East Limerick and Tipperary whose family he calls probably of Danish descent; a third, Mac Gothradha, is 'son of Godfrey' and lists Godfrey among its forms.[1][2][3]

Where in Ireland was Godfrey found in 1890?

Matheson counts 18 Godfrey entries in Ireland in 1890 including spelling varieties (17 spelled Godfrey), principally found in Mayo, Tipperary and Kerry.[4]

Sources

  1. Gothfraid — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/g/gothfraid.php
  2. Ó Gothraidh — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/og/o-gothraidh.php
  3. Mac Gothradha, Mac Gothraidh — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/macg/mac-gothradha-mac-gothraidh.php
  4. Godfrey — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/godfrey.php

Note: Matheson's 1890 figures for a surname include its spelling varieties (Matheson, Table Explanation).