Godfrey last name is from what european country?

Question:

Godfrey last name is from what european country?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Origins Available: English, Irish

Where did the English Godfrey family come from? What is the English coat of arms/family crest? When did the Godfrey family first arrive in the United States? Where did the various branches of the family go? What is the history of the family name?

The name Godfrey originated with the Anglo-Saxon tribes that once ruled Britain. It is derived from the baptismal name for the son of Godfrey. Baptismal names were a form of patronymic surnames, and came from either the religious or vernacular given name traditions. In this case, the patronym was adopted from the personal name of the bearers father.

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Godfrey have been found, including Godfrey, Godfry, Godfrie, Godfree, Godfery, Godkin and many more.

First found in Kent where they were seated from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Godfrey, or a variant listed above: Andrew Godfrey who settled in the Barbados in 1678; Hugh Godfrey who settled in the Barbados in 1663; Edward Godfrey who settled in Maine in 1630; Richard Godfrey who settled in Virginia in 1652.

Origins Available: English, Irish

Where did the Irish Godfrey family come from? What is the Irish coat of arms/family crest? When did the Godfrey family first arrive in the United States? Where did the various branches of the family go? What is the history of the family name?

The surname Godfrey is an anglicization of the Iirsh O Gothraidh, which in turn is derived from the personal name Gothfrith or Godefrid. This personal name, meaning "god peace" is said to have been brought to Ireland by the Norsemen. It was borne by Godfrid, the grandson of Ivar, who ruled Dublin in 921-7. Godfrid, the son of Sitric was defeated by Ruaidr⡠ua Canann in in 950. The name Godfrey also came to Ireland with English settlers in the 17th century.

Spelling Variations of this family name include: Gohery, Geoghery, Gohary, Godfry, Godfrey and many more.

First found in the district between Portumna and Birr, in present day County Offaly and north County Tipperary.

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Cormac Godfrey, who arrived in Massachusetts in 1820; Ann and John Godfrey, who immigrated to Quebec in 1834; John Godfery, who landed in New York in 1852.

Some noteworthy people of the name Godfrey

* Bob Godfrey (b. 1921), Australian born, British animation producer/director who won the Academy Award for his musical feature "Great"
* Sir Dan Godfrey (1868-1939), English conductor
* John Godfrey, Canadian Lawyer
* Richard Timothy Godfrey, British art historian.
* Bob Godfrey (b. 1921), Australian born, British animation producer/director who won the Academy Award for his musical feature "Great"
* Sir Dan Godfrey (1868-1939), English conductor
* John Godfrey, Canadian Lawyer.

godfrey
1. English: from the Norman personal name Godefrei, Godefroi(s), composed of the Germanic elements god, got ??god?? + frid(u), fred ??peace??. See also Jeffrey.
2. Americanized form of Irish Mac Gothraidh or 㓠Gothraidh, patronymics from the Irish equivalent of Godfrey (see 1 above), borrowed from the Vikings.
3. Americanized form of the French surname Godefroi, of the same origin as 1.

Surname: Godfrey
Recorded in many spellings including Godfrey, Godfroy, Godfry, Gotfree, Godfree and Godfreed, this is an English surname. It is however of Germanic and Anglo-Saxon pre 7th century origins and derives from the personal name 'God-frida'. This was composed of the elements 'guda', meaning good, and 'frid' - peace, a meaning which no doubt contributed to its considerable popularity. The modern surnames probably derive from the French - Norman form of the name, 'Godefroi', introduced into England at the Conquest of 1066, and held by a number of William's closest comrades. As such the name is recorded in its Latinized form 'Godefridus' in the Domesday Book of 1086, the first surname recording being a century or so later as shown below. The development includes Alan Godefre of Huntingdonshire in 1252, and Maud Godefray of Nottinghamshire in 1277. In the famous annals of Piers Plowman, 'Sire Godefray Gowel' is recorded on page 596, whilst in the 12th century the crusader 'Godfrey of Lorraine' was as famous as 'Richard the Lionheart'. Other recordings include Willelmus Godefroy of Yorkshire in the Poll Tax Rolls of 1379, whilst Stephen Godfrye was christened at the church of St Mary Aldermary, cit of London in 1614. John Godfrey was a very early emigrant to the American colonies, leaving London on the ship 'Transport' in July 1635, bound for Virginia.The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Symon Godefrei. This was dated 1221, in the charters of the abbey of Ely, Suffolk, during the reign of King Henry 111rd, 1216 - 1272. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.