Goodeve Family History

From the Middle English female personal name Godyeve, Godive, Godif (Old English Godgifu ‘god God’ + ‘gift’, Latinized as Godiva), it became confused with another Middle English female personal name Godith (Old English Godgȳð). This can be seen in individuals such as Goodey and the comparison to Godyf, widow of John Clare, alias Goditha Clare de Strode in Assize Rolls (Kent).

Occasionally, it may have originated from the Middle English godwif, meaning ‘virtuous woman; mistress of a household,’ often used as a courtesy title for married women of relatively humble social status. Comparisons can be drawn with Hussey (3) from hus(e)wif and Goodman.

For obvious reasons, the name was mainly borne by women, such as Nota Godwyf in 1311 in Colchester Court Rolls and Margaret Godewyf in 1374 in Feet of Fines (Hunts).

The name's usage by men, like John Godewyf in 1413 in Patent Rolls (Glatton, Hunts), can be attributed to either an ironic nickname or as a surname derived from the mother's title.

Alternatively, because goodwife was often reduced to goody(f), the relationship name might have been re-etymologized as ‘goodwife.’ Consequently, Godewyf and Goodwife as hereditary surnames could be hypercorrections of Goodiff and Goodeve.