Explore the Family Name Goodenough
The meaning of Goodenough
English: 1. (southern England): nickname from Middle English god(e), gud(e), goud(e) ‘good’ + inough ‘abundant; sufficient, adequate, satisfactory’ (Old English genōh). Possibly bestowed on one who was easily satisfied; it may also have been used with reference to one whose achievements were average, ‘good enough’ though not outstanding. 2. alternatively, a nickname meaning ‘good lad’ or ‘good servant’, from Middle English gode knave, from Old English gōd ‘good’ + cnafa ‘boy, servant’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Goodenough in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Goodenough saw a modest decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 16,074 in terms of popularity, but by 2010, it had dropped to 16,975, a change of -5.61%. However, the actual count of people with the Goodenough surname increased slightly from 1,656 in 2000 to 1,674 in 2010, marking a growth of 1.09%. The proportion of individuals with this surname per 100,000 also saw a small decrease from 0.61 to 0.57 during the same period, representing a decline of 6.56%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #16,074 | #16,975 | -5.61% |
| Count | 1,656 | 1,674 | 1.09% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.61 | 0.57 | -6.56% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Goodenough
The ethnic identity associated with the Goodenough surname showed interesting changes over the decade according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. The majority of individuals with this last name identified as White, with 95.29% in 2000 decreasing to 93.91% in 2010. The Hispanic population with this surname saw a significant increase of 70.20%, moving from 1.51% to 2.57%. There was also an increase in the percentage of Black individuals carrying the Goodenough name, rising from 0.54% in 2000 to 0.90% in 2010, a 66.67% increase. The percentage of those identifying with two or more races also rose from 1.39% to 1.55%. Notably, there were no individuals who identified as Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native in 2010, whereas small percentages did so in 2000.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.29% | 93.91% | -1.45% |
| Hispanic | 1.51% | 2.57% | 70.2% |
| Two or More Races | 1.39% | 1.55% | 11.51% |
| Black | 0.54% | 0.9% | 66.67% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.6% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.66% | 0% | 0% |