Explore the Family Name Goodwill
The meaning of Goodwill
English (North Yorkshire): nickname for a friendly or amiable person, from Middle English god(e), gud(e), goud(e) ‘good’ + wil(le) ‘will, volition’. The compound is attested in the sense ‘favorable disposition’ since before the Norman Conquest.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Goodwill in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Goodwill has seen a minor shift from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it ranked as the 17,710th most common surname, but by 2010 it had dropped slightly in rank to 18,467th. However, the actual count of individuals with the Goodwill surname increased during this period from 1,459 to 1,498, indicating a growth of 2.67%. The proportion of people per 100k with this surname also decreased by -5.56%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #17,710 | #18,467 | -4.27% |
| Count | 1,459 | 1,498 | 2.67% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.54 | 0.51 | -5.56% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Goodwill
The ethnicity associated with the surname Goodwill also experienced some changes from 2000 to 2010, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. The most significant increase was among those who identify as Asian/Pacific Islander, with the percentage rising from 0.55% to 0.73%. Those identifying with two or more ethnicities increased from 1.85% to 2.07%. The number of individuals identifying as White showed a marginal decrease from 76.01% to 75.90%. The Hispanic and American Indian and Alaskan Native categories each saw slight increases, while the percentage of Black individuals using this surname fell from 18.16% to 17.49%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 76.01% | 75.9% | -0.14% |
| Black | 18.16% | 17.49% | -3.69% |
| Hispanic | 2.19% | 2.47% | 12.79% |
| Two or More Races | 1.85% | 2.07% | 11.89% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.23% | 1.34% | 8.94% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.55% | 0.73% | 32.73% |