Goodey Family History

From the Middle English salutation godne dæie about 1205, godun dai about 1250, and god dai after 1300 (OED), meaning ‘(have a God give you a) good day!’. Compare Haggerty (2) and the salutation ‘good morrow’ in Walter Godemorwe (Godemorwen) 1327 in Subsidy Rolls (Essex). Some of the following bearers may alternatively belong with (2) -3 or (4).

Possibly in some instances from Middle English god(e) day(e) (or dey(e)) meaning ‘good dairy man’ (see Day). This comes from Middle English god(e) ‘good’ + hei(e) ‘enclosed plot field’ (Old English gōd + (ge)hæg), referring to someone who lived ‘(at the) good enclosure’. Compare Goodacre and Goodfield.

A variant of Goodeve may originate from the Middle English female personal name Godive or from the word goodwife, goody. This could also stem from a reduced form of the Middle English female personal name Godith, from Old English Godgȳð (‘god God’ + ‘battle’).

Compare Johanne Godithson 1379 in Poll Tax (Scarisbrick with Hurlston, Lancs). It was sometimes confused with Goodeve in (3), as seen in William Godith(e) Godyth Gwodyf 1317 in Assize Rolls (Kent). Godyf, widow of John Clare, is also referred to as Goditha Clare de Strode in Assize Rolls (Kent).

Examples of Goody and Goodie below may alternatively belong with (1) or (3).