Godilington

Recorded as Godlinton, Godlington, Godlonton and possibly others, this is an English surname. It is locational and is either from some now 'lost' medieval village or more likely is a transposed spelling of the ancient village name of Goddington. This village in the county of Kent was first recorded in the tax registers known as the 'Feet of Fines', in the year 1190. This was when tax gatherers were sent out to try to raise funds for the crusade to free the Holy Land lead by King Richard of England, and known to history as as 'The Lionheart'. Another possible source for the name is Godington in Oxfordshire, which may be even older as it is first recorded in the famous Domesday Book of 1066 in the spelling of Godendone. In both case the meaning is believed to be 'The settlement of Goda's people', with Goda being an early personal name of the pre 7th century. Locational surnames were usually 'from' names. That is to say names given to people after they left their original villages to move somewhere else. In so doing they took or were, given the name of their former home. Spelling being at best erratic soon lead to 'sounds like' spellings. In this case Danyell Godlington was recorded at the church of St Bartholmew, the Great, on February 12th 1624, whilst James Goglonton was recorded at St Matthews, Bethnal Green, on October 21st 1792, both being in the diocese of Greater London.