Godfrey is a given name and an English surname. The given name is derived from the

Old French Old French (, , ; Modern French: ) was the language spoken in most of the northern half of France from approximately the 8th to the 14th centuries. Rather than a unified language, Old French was a linkage of Romance dialects, mutually intelligi ...

''Godefroy'', a name composed of the elements: the first being either ''god'' ("god") or ''gōd'' ("good"); the second being ''fred'' ("peace"). The name was brought to

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

by settlers from

Normandy Normandy (; french: link=no, Normandie ; nrf, Normaundie, Nouormandie ; from Old French , plural of ''Normant'', originally from the word for "northman" in several Scandinavian languages) is a geographical and cultural region in Northwestern ...

, the

Low Countries The term Low Countries, also known as the Low Lands ( nl, de Lage Landen, french: les Pays-Bas, lb, déi Niddereg Lännereien) and historically called the Netherlands ( nl, de Nederlanden), Flanders, or Belgica, is a coastal lowland region in N ...

, and

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan ar ...

. The name is rendered ''

Goraidh is an Irish masculine given name, arising in the Old Irish and Middle Irish/Middle Gaelic languages, as , and later partially Anglicised as Goffraid. ' corresponds to the Old Norse ', cognate with Gottfried or ', and Galfrid or '. ''Gofraid''/'' ...

'', ''Goiridh'' in

Scottish Gaelic Scottish Gaelic ( gd, Gàidhlig ), also known as Scots Gaelic and Gaelic, is a Goidelic language (in the Celtic branch of the Indo-European language family) native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a Goidelic language, Scottish Gaelic, as well a ...

. In some cases the surname is derived from the

Middle English Middle English (abbreviated to ME) is a form of the English language that was spoken after the Norman conquest of 1066, until the late 15th century. The English language underwent distinct variations and developments following the Old English ...

personal name ''Godfrey'', ''Godefrey''; or the Old French ''Godefrei'', ''Godefroi'', ''Godefrois''; or the

Continental Germanic South Germanic is a term used for a number of proposed groupings of the Germanic tribes or Germanic languages, dialects. However, it is not widely used and has no agreed definition. Uses The following uses of the term "South Germanic" are found: * ...

''Godefrid''. In other cases, the surname is derived from the Irish ''Mac Gothraidh'' or ''Ó Gothraidh''. Hanks; Coates; McClure (2016) p. 1073.

Given name

Medieval

* Godfrey of Amiens (1066–1115), bishop of Amiens *

Godfrey of Bath Godfrey (died 1135) was a medieval Bishop of Bath. Life Godfrey was a native of Leuven and was chaplain to Adeliza of Louvain, second wife of King Henry I of England. Godfrey served as chaplain both before and after her marriage to the king.Gre ...

(died 1135), bishop of Bath *

Godfrey of Bouillon Godfrey of Bouillon (, , , ; 18 September 1060 – 18 July 1100) was a French nobleman and pre-eminent leader of the First Crusade. First ruler of the Kingdom of Jerusalem from 1099 to 1100, he avoided the title of king, preferring that of princ ...

(1060–1100), leader of the First Crusade, first king of Jerusalem * Godfrey of Brabant (died 1302), Belgian noble *

Godfrey of Cambrai Godfrey of Cambrai (also known as Godfrey of Winchester) was the prior of Winchester Abbey from 1082 until his death in 1107. When he joined the Benedictine community around 1070 he was probably around 15 years old. He also was a composer of poems, ...

(11th century), prior and poet *

Godfrey of Chichester Godfrey (died 1088) was a medieval Bishop of Chichester. The first Bishop of Chichester was Stigand, who died in 1087; it seems that he was followed by Godfrey. Confusion over the succession was generated by William of Malmesbury, who suggeste ...

(11th century), bishop of Chichester * Godfrey of Esch (11th century), Lord of Esch and crusader * Godfrey of Fontaines (13th century), scholastic philosopher and theologian * Godfrey (patriarch of Aquileia) (died 1194) *

Godfrey of Saint Victor Godfrey of St. Victor (''Geoffroy, Godefridus, Galfredus'' c. 1125 – c. 1195) was a French monk and theologian, and one of the last major figures of the Victorines. He was a supporter of the study of ancient philosophy and of the Victorine mystic ...

(c. 1125 – c. 1195), French monk and theologian * Godfrey of Viterbo (c. 1120 – c. 1196), Roman Catholic chronicler * Godred Crovan (died 1095), King of Dublin and the Isles * Gofraid mac Amlaíb meic Ragnaill (died 1075), King of Dublin * Godfrey van Rhenen (died 1178), bishop of Utrecht *

Godfrey of Saint-Omer Godfrey of Saint-Omer (also known as Gaufred, Godefroi, or Geoffrey de St Omer, Saint Omer) was a Flemish knight and one of the founding members of the Knights Templar in 1119. He is said to have come from the family of the Lords of Saint-Omer (in ...

(c. 1100 – 1160), knight

Modern

Godfrey Godfrey may refer to: People * Godfrey (name), a given name and surname * Godfrey (comedian), American comedian, actor Places In the United States * Godfrey, Georgia, an unincorporated community * Godfrey, Illinois, a village * Godfrey, Kansas, an ...

(born 1969), stage name of Godfrey Danchimah * Godfrey Agnew (1913–1995), British civil servant * Godfrey Argent (1937–2006), English photographer * Godfrey Ashby (born 1930), British Anglican bishop, theologian and academic *

Godfrey Baldacchino Godfrey Baldacchino (born 25 April 1960) is a Maltese and Canadian social scientist. He was Pro Rector (International Development & Quality Assurance) (2016-2021) and Professor of Sociology at the University of Malta. Between 2016 and 2020, he was ...

(born 1960), Maltese-Canadian social scientist * Godfrey Cambridge (1933–1976), American comedian *

Godfrey Darbishire Godfrey Darbishire (26 September 1853 – 29 October 1889)
Scrum.com was an English-b ...

(1853–1889), English-born Welsh rugby union forward * Godfrey Evans (1920–1999), English cricketer * Godfrey Farrugia (born 1960), Maltese politician * Godfrey Fuchs (1889–1972), German-Canadian soccer player * Godfrey Gao (1984–2019), Taiwanese-Canadian model and actor * Godfrey Douglas Giles (1857–1941), English painter * Godfrey Goldsborough (1548–1604), English clergyman *

Godfrey G. Goodwin Godfrey Gummer Goodwin (January 11, 1873 – February 16, 1933) was a Representative from Minnesota. Early life He was born Alfred Gustafson near St. Peter, Nicollet County, Minnesota, to a single mother, Cecilia Carlson (née Sissa Carlsdot ...

(1873–1933), American politician * Godfrey Grayson (1913–1998), English film director * Godfrey Ho (born 1948), Hong Kong film director and screenwriter * Godfrey Hounsfield (1919–2004), English electrical engineer * Godfrey Huggins (1883–1971), Rhodesian politician and physician * Godfrey Imhof (1911–1963), English racing driver * Godfrey Gitahi Kariuki (1937–2017), Kenyan politician *

Godfrey Kiprotich Godfrey Chirchir Kiprotich (born 23 November 1964) is a Kenyan former long-distance runner who specialised in road running. He was a team gold medallist at the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in 1994, placing fourth to lead a team includi ...

(born 1964), Kenyan distance runner * Godfrey Kneller (1646–1723), English portrait painter * Godfrey Lagden (1851–1934), British colonial administrator *

Godfrey Edward Madawala Godfrey Edward Madawala (23 June 1878 – September 1932) was a Ceylonese lawyer and politician. He was a member of the Legislative Council of Ceylon and the State Council of Ceylon. His father was Madawala Basnayaka Nilame, who was a notary ...

(1878-1932), Sri Lankan Sinhala lawyer and politician * Godfrey McCulloch (1640–1697), Scottish politician and murderer * Godfrey McHugh (1911–1997), United States Air Force general * Godfrey Morse (1846–1911), German-American lawyer * Godfrey Mwakikagile (born 1949), Tanzanian scholar and author *

Godfrey O'Donnell Fr. Godfrey O'Donnell (1939 – 14 February 2020) was a priest from County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, in the Romanian Orthodox Church. From County Londonderry, O'Donnell, was a Jesuit priest for 28 years, who left the order in 1985 to marry R ...

(1939–2020), Northern Irish priest * Godfrey Reggio (born 1939), American director of experimental documentary films *

Godfrey A. Rockefeller Godfrey Anderson Rockefeller, Sr. (May 22, 1924 – January 22, 2010) was an American aviator. He was the eldest son of Godfrey Stillman Rockefeller (1899–1983) and Helen Gratz. He is best known for his environmental interests and role in the W ...

(1924–2010), American aviator * Godfrey Vigne (1801–1863), English cricketer and traveler *

Godfrey Walusimbi Godfrey Walusimbi (born 3 July 1989) is a Ugandan professional footballer who plays as a left-back for the Uganda national team. He is the first Ugandan footballer to play more than 100 international matches. Club career In June 2011 Walusimb ...

(born 1989), Ugandan footballer *

Godfrey Zaunbrecher Godfrey William Zaunbrecher (born December 17, 1946) is a former American football center who played three seasons with the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the eleventh round of ...

(born 1946), American football player

Fictional characters

Godfrey Ablewhite Godfrey Ablewhite is a character in Wilkie Collins' 1868 novel ''The Moonstone''. A vocal philanthropist, he is one of the rival suitors of Rachel Verinder, to whom he is briefly engaged before his mercenary motives are revealed. Religiosity chal ...

, a character in the novel '' The Moonstone'' * Godfrey, a character in '' Xenoblade Chronicles 2'' * Godfrey, also known as Godric, a character in '' The Southern Vampire Mysteries'' novels by Charlaine Harris * Gordon Godfrey, a supporting character and supervillain from

DC Comics DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with their f ...

* Godfrey, a character in the television series ''Taboo'' * Godfrey, First Elden Lord, a character in the video game '' Elden Ring''

Surname

* Albert Earl Godfrey (1890–1982), Canadian First World War flying ace *

Ambrose Godfrey Ambrose Godfrey-Hanckwitz FRS (1660 – 15 January 1741), also known as Gottfried Hankwitz, also written Hanckewitz, or Ambrose Godfrey as he preferred to be known, was a German-born British phosphorus manufacturer and apothecary. He was one o ...

(1660–1741), phosphorus manufacturer *

Arthur Godfrey Arthur Morton Godfrey (August 31, 1903 – March 16, 1983) was an American radio and television broadcaster and entertainer who was sometimes introduced by his nickname The Old Redhead. At the peak of his success, in the early-to-mid 1950s, Godf ...

(1903–1983), American radio and television broadcaster *

Ben Godfrey Benjamin Matthew Godfrey (born 15 January 1998) is an English professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for club Everton and the England national team. Early and personal life Godfrey was born in York, North Yorkshire, and attended ...

(born 1998), English footballer * Billie Godfrey (born 1978), English singer * Bob Godfrey (1921–2013), English animator * Bob Godfrey (footballer), Scottish footballer *

Brett Godfrey Brett Godfrey (born 8 August 1963) is an Australian businessman and co-founder of Virgin Australia. Godfrey was awarded the Centenary Medal for his service to Tourism and Aviation in 2003 and inducted into the HM Awards' ‘Hall of Fame' in 2015. ...

(born 1963), Australian businessman *

Brian Godfrey Brian Cameron Godfrey (1 May 1940 – 11 February 2010) was a Welsh professional footballer. Brian was an inside forward who started his league career at Everton where he only made one appearance before joining Scunthorpe United in June 1960. ...

(1940–2010), Welsh footballer *

Charles Godfrey (disambiguation) Charles Godfrey may refer to: * Private Charles Godfrey, fictional character from British television comedy ''Dad's Army'' * Charles Godfrey (bandmaster) (1790–1863), English bandmaster, drummer, and bassoonist *Charles Godfrey (entertainer) (185 ...

, multiple people * Dan Godfrey (1868–1939), British conductor, son of bandmaster Daniel Godfrey * Daniel Godfrey (bandmaster) (1831–1903), British bandmaster and composer *

Daniel Strong Godfrey Daniel Strong Godfrey (born 1949 in ryn Mawr, PA is an American composer who has written for symphonic bands as well as a large body of chamber and orchestral music. He began composing at the age of eight while his family was living in Anka ...

(born 1949), American composer * DeWitt Godfrey (born 1960), an American modernist sculptor * Sir Edmund Berry Godfrey (1621–1678), magistrate murdered in 1678 *

Edmund Godfrey-Faussett Brigadier General Edmund Godfrey Godfrey-Faussett (25 August 1868 – 29 May 1942) was a British career soldier with the Royal Engineers, a vexillologist and official of The Boy Scouts Association. Godfrey-Faussett was born in Canterbury, th ...

* Edward Godfrey (disambiguation), multiple people * Frederick Race Godfrey (1828–1910), public figure and politician in Victoria, Australia * George Godfrey (1853–1901), Canadian boxer and world 'colored' heavyweight champion ** Feab S. Williams (1897–1947), American boxer and world 'colored' heavyweight champion (better known as George Godfrey; named after Godfrey) * Isidore Godfrey (1900–1977), conductor * Kathy Godfrey (died 1981), American talk show host on radio and television *

Laurie Godfrey Laurie R. Godfrey (born August 27, 1945) is an American paleontologist and physical anthropologist. She is emeritus professor of anthropology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her research has focused on the evolutionary history of the p ...

(born 1945), American anthropologist *

Marjorie Godfrey Marjorie Godfrey (29 March 1919 – 27 October 2003) was an Anglo-Indian nominated member of 5th Lok Sabha and Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly. Early life Marjorie was born on 29 March 1919 at Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh. She received her ...

(1919–2003), Indian politician *

Martyn Godfrey Martyn Godfrey (April 17, 1949 — March 10, 2000) was an English-Canadian author of children's fantasy and science fiction books. Born in Birmingham, England, he moved to Toronto, Ontario when he was eight. Godfrey graduated from Univers ...

(1949–2000), English-Canadian author * Paul Godfrey (born 1939), former president and CEO of the Toronto Blue Jays *

Richard Godfrey (disambiguation) Richard Godfrey may refer to: * Richard Godfrey (potter) (1949–2014), English studio potter *Richard Godfrey (died 1642) (1592–1642), MP for New Romney * Richard Godfrey (died 1631), MP for Salisbury *Richard Godfrey (priest), priest and missio ...

, multiple people *

Robert Godfrey (disambiguation) Robert Godfrey may refer to: * Robert J. Godfrey (born 1937), British clergyman *Robert John Godfrey (born 1947), musician *W. Robert Godfrey, American clergyman * Robert Godfrey (reverend) (1872–1948), Scottish born missionary, naturalist and Xh ...

, multiple people * Robert John Godfrey (born 1947), British composer, pianist and founder member of The Enid *

Steve Godfrey (disambiguation) Steve Godfrey, Steven Godfrey, or Stephen Godfrey is the name of: * Steve Godfrey (medium), host of U.S. radio show ''The Other Side'' * Stephen Godfrey (1953–1993), senior feature writer for Canadian newspaper ''The Globe and Mail ''The Glob ...

, multiple people * Thomas Godfrey, multiple people *

Tony Godfrey (footballer) Tony William Godfrey (born 30 April 1939) is an English retired footballer, who played as a goalkeeper for Southampton, Aldershot and Rochdale in the Football League. Football career Early career Godfrey was born in Pangbourne, Berkshire and ...

(born 1939), English footballer * Wilhelmina McAlpin Godfrey (1914–1994), American tapestry artist *

William Godfrey (disambiguation) William Godfrey was an English Roman Catholic cardinal. William Godfrey may also refer to: Baronets *Sir William Godfrey, 1st Baronet (1739–1817), MP for Tralee and Belfast *Sir William Godfrey, 3rd Baronet (1797–1873), Anglo-Irish aristocrat ...

, multiple people

Citations

Sources

* * * {{given name, type=both Anglicised Irish-language surnames English masculine given names English-language masculine given names English-language surnames French masculine given names Surnames of English origin