I am Mark Alexander Goodger, born in Johannesburg, South Africa on 09 January 1959.
I reside in Mossel Bay in the Southern Cape Region of South Africa.
The English surname Goodger, is a late development of Goodyear, along with many variables, including Goodier, Goodyer, Goodear, Goudier, Goudear, etc. It is of patroymic origin, being one of those surnames which was based upon the first name of the father. During the Middle Ages, when the system of surnames first exploded, nothing could be more natural than for children in the community to be known by their father's name. In this instance, the surname means "the son of the Gudhir, Gudvar", both being medieval personal names. Translating literally from the Anglo Saxon, we have "good warrior", so we now have the meaning, "son of the good warrior". Alternately, the name may be of nickname origin, from the Middle English "Goodyeare", meaning "good year', an expletive used in questions or possibly an elliphic for "as I hope to have a good year". Thus the name may have been given to one born in a year when the harvest was good, or when there was another cause of happiness in the family.
The Hundred Rolls of 1273 contains references to Cest' Godger, and John Godeger, whilst in the Poll Tax Rolls for Yorkshire are mentioned Willimus Godeyere, Simon Godeyere, a smith, and Willielmus Goddeyere, all in the year 1379. We read in the Registers of the Parish Church of Rothwell, Yorkshire, of one Robert Gudger in the year 1616. The Wordwell Parish Registers for Suffolk have references to Joseph Goodger, Goodyer, in 1738, and 1760. The Marriage license records for the City of London reveal the marriages of John Appleston to Susan Goodier in 1613, and Edward Burford to Anne Goodyeare in the year 1626. The Goodier, or Goodyer family of Windsor, County Berks, was enabled and granted the apprended arms in the year 1579.
BLAZON OF ARMS: Gules, a fesse between two chevrons vair.
Translation: Gules (red) denotes Military Fortitude
CREST: A partridge holding in the beak, three ears of a wheat all proper.
ORIGIN: ENGLAND
1 comment:
Thanks, Mark. That's brilliant. Other possible derivations include "good cheer" meaning either a cheery personality or even a handsome visage. I've seen a coat of arms that was I think granted to the Middlesex branch of the family, at Monken Hadley, where it appears in the church and the bird has only one ear of corn in its beak - a "good ear". I love the fact that our ancestors were punsters.
Post a Comment