Godwin is an English-language surname with Anglo-Saxon origins. It means '' God's friend'' and is thus equivalent to Theophilus,

Jedediah Jedediah ( he, יְדִידְיָה) or Jedidiah is a Hebrew male given name, which is derived from the name ''Yedidyah'', meaning "beloved of Jah". In the Hebrew Bible, Jedidiah (''Jeddedi'' in Brenton's Septuagint Translation) was the second or ...

Amadeus Amadeus may refer to: *Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791), prolific and influential composer of classical music *Amadeus (name), a given name and people with the name * ''Amadeus'' (play), 1979 stage play by Peter Shaffer * ''Amadeus'' (film), ...

and Reuel. .However, the word "Godwin" can also mean "helper of mankind"

People

Politics and governance

Abraham Godwin Abraham Godwin (July 16, 1763 – October 5, 1835) was a representative in the New Jersey General Assembly, former fife major in the American Revolutionary War, and brigadier general during the War of 1812. Personal life Abraham Godwin was b ...

(1763–1835), New Jersey General Assembly 1802–1806, Elector for Andrew Jackson 1828 *

Abraham Godwin Jr. Abraham Godwin Jr. (July 14, 1791 – August 18, 1849) was the first Lieutenant of the expedition to Canada in 1812 led by Generals Brown and Izard. He later rose to the rank of Brigadier General in the New Jersey state militia. In 1816 when his ...

(1791–1849), New Jersey General Assembly 1821–1832, took vote to D.C. for Presidential Election 1840 * Godwin, Earl of Wessex (died 1053), earl in England under the Danish king Cnut the Great *

Hannibal Lafayette Godwin Hannibal Lafayette Godwin (November 3, 1873 – June 9, 1929) was a Democratic U.S. Congressman from North Carolina between 1907 and 1921. Education and career Born near Dunn in Harnett County, North Carolina, Godwin attended common school ...

(1873–1929), North Carolina Congressman *

Mary Wollstonecraft Mary Wollstonecraft (, ; 27 April 1759 – 10 September 1797) was a British writer, philosopher, and advocate of women's rights. Until the late 20th century, Wollstonecraft's life, which encompassed several unconventional personal relationsh ...

, later Mary Godwin (1759–1797), English author of ''A Vindication of the Rights of Woman'' * Mills E. Godwin Jr. (1914–1999), Governor of Virginia *

Richard Godwin Richard Philip Godwin (March 21, 1922 – March 3, 2005) also known as Dick, was born in Clifton, New Jersey, but raised in New Britain, Connecticut. Served in the United States Navy during WWII, enlisted July 1, 1943, and discharged June 21, 1946 ...

(1922–2005), First Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics *

William Godwin William Godwin (3 March 1756 – 7 April 1836) was an English journalist, political philosopher and novelist. He is considered one of the first exponents of utilitarianism and the first modern proponent of anarchism. Godwin is most famous for ...

(1756–1836), English political philosopher

Religion

* Godwin of Stavelot, English saint * Francis Godwin (1562–1633), English bishop and historian * Godwin (bishop), bishop of Lichfield – 1017 *

Jeff Godwin Jeff Godwin is a Christian fundamentalist preacher and author from Bloomington, Indiana, USA. He is best known for his numerous books critical of both secular and Christian rock music. Godwin is a former drug addict and rock musician. He claims that ...

, American fundamentalist, former rock musician * Thomas Godwin (bishop) (1517–1590), bishop of Bath and Wells

Arts and entertainment

* Catherine Grace Godwin (1798–1845), Scottish poet * Edward William Godwin (1833–1886), English architect *

Elizabeth Ayton Godwin Elizabeth Ayton Godwin (4 July 1817 – 26 March 1889) was a Victorian era Christian hymn writer and religious poet. She was born at Thorpe Hamlet, Norfolk, England, 4 July 1817. Her father was William Ellis Etheridge. In 1849, she married Mr. C. ...

(1817–1889), English hymnwriter, religious poet *

Fay Godwin Fay Godwin (17 February 1931 – 27 May 2005) was a British photographer known for her black-and-white landscapes of the British countryside and coast. Career Godwin was introduced to the London literary scene.Frank Godwin (1889–1959), American illustrator, creator of ''Connie'' comic strip * Frank Godwin (film producer) (1917–2012), English film producer *

Gail Godwin Gail Godwin (born June 18, 1937) is an American novelist and short story writer. Godwin has written 14 novels, two short story collections, three non-fiction books, and ten libretti. Her primary literary accomplishments are her novels, which have ...

(born 1937), American novelist and short story writer *

George Stanley Godwin George Stanley Godwin (1889–1974) was an English writer of fiction and non-fiction books. Childhood and youth George S. Godwin was born in London, England, the youngest boy of a large family, and was only three years old when his father d ...

(1889–1974), English author *

, American fundamentalist, former rock musician *

Joscelyn Godwin Joscelyn Godwin (born 16 January 1945 at Kelmscott, Oxfordshire, England) is a composer, musicologist, and translator, known for his work on ancient music, paganism, and music in the occult. Biography He was educated as a chorister at Christ ...

(born 1945), English musicologist and translator *

Mary Godwin (artist) Mary Godwin (1887–1960) was a British oil painter, water colourist and etcher, who often chose landscapes, interiors, and figures as subjects. She studied at the Women’s Department of King’s College with John Byam Shaw, and at Westminster ...

(1887–1960), British artist * Mary Shelley (née Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin; 1797–1851), English author of ''Frankenstein'' *

Parke Godwin Parke Godwin (January 28, 1929 – June 19, 2013) was an American writer. He won the World Fantasy Award for Best Novella in 1982 for his story "The Fire When It Comes". He was a native of New York City, where he was born in 1929. He was the g ...

(1929–2013), American writer *

Parke Godwin (journalist) Parke Godwin (February 28, 1816 – January 7, 1904) was an American journalist associated with New York. Biography Godwin was born on February 28, 1816, in Paterson, New Jersey. His father Abrahamn Godwin Jr, Abraham Godwin was a Lieutenant in ...

(1816–1904), American journalist *

Paul Godwin Paul Godwin (1902–1982) was a violinist and the leader of a popular German dance orchestra in the 1920s and 30s. Biography Paul Godwin (b. Pinchas Goldfein) was born on 28 March 1902 in Sosnowitz (Russian Empire; now Poland). Early recordin ...

(1902–1982), Polish violinist and bandleader *

Peter Godwin Peter Godwin (born 4 December 1957) is a Zimbabwean author, journalist, screenwriter, documentary filmmaker, and former human rights lawyer. Best known for his writings concerning the breakdown of his native Zimbabwe, he has reported from more ...

(born 1957), Zimbabwean author and journalist * Peter Godwin (singer), English new wave musician *

Robert Godwin Robert Godwin (born 1958 in England) is a British author who has written about rock music and spaceflight. Early in his career he was a rock music impresario who managed a venue in Burlington, Ontario and founded Griffin Music. Personal infor ...

(born 1958), British author * Ted Godwin (1933–2013), Canadian artist *

Tom Godwin Tom Godwin (June 6, 1915 – August 31, 1980) was an American science fiction author active throughout the 1950s into the 1970s. In his career, Godwin published three novels and around thirty short stories. He is best known for his short sto ...

(1915–1980), American science fiction author

Science

George Godwin George Godwin FRS (28 January 1813 – 27 January 1888) was an influential British architect, journalist, and editor of ''The Builder'' magazine. Life He was one of nine children of the architect George Godwin senior (1780–1863) and trained a ...

(1813–1888), British architect, town planner and journalist * Harry Godwin (1901–1985), English botanist *

Henry Haversham Godwin-Austen Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Haversham Godwin-Austen FRS FZS FRGS MBOU (6 July 1834 – 2 December 1923), known until 1854 as Henry Haversham Austen, was an English topographer, surveyor, naturalist and geologist. He explored the mountains ...

(1834–1923), English geologist and ornithologist *

Linda M. Godwin Linda Maxine Godwin Ph.D. (born July 2, 1952) is an American scientist and retired NASA astronaut. Godwin joined NASA in 1980 and became an astronaut in July 1986. She retired in 2010. During her career, Godwin completed four space flights and ...

(born 1952), American astronaut *

Robert Alfred Cloynes Godwin-Austen Robert Alfred Cloyne Godwin-Austen FRS (17 March 1808 – 25 November 1884) was an English geologist. Godwin-Austen was the eldest son of Sir Henry E. Austen. He was educated at Oriel College, Oxford, of which he became a fellow in 1830. He afte ...

(1808–1884), English geologist

Sport

Godwin Igwebuike Godwin Eric Igwebuike (born September 10, 1994) is an American football running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Northwestern, Igwebuike was an undrafted free agent in 2018. ...

(born 1994), American football player *

Billy Godwin Billy Godwin (born November 19, 1964) is an American college baseball coach and former pitcher. He is the head baseball coach at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Godwin played college baseball at Atlantic Christian College in 1986. ...

(born 1964), American college baseball coach *

Chris Godwin Rod Christopher Godwin Jr. (born February 27, 1996) is an American football wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Penn State and was drafted by the Buccaneers in the thir ...

(born 1996), American football player *

John Godwin (baseball) John Godwin (born March 10, 1877, in East Liverpool, Ohio; died May 5, 1956, in E. Liverpool, Ohio) nicknamed "Bunny", was a Major League Baseball player for the Boston Americans The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball t ...

(1877–1956), American baseball player * Neville Godwin (born 1975), South African tennis player *

Terry Godwin Terry Tyrome Godwin (born October 23, 1996) is an American football wide receiver who a member of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Georgia and was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in t ...

(born 1996), American football player *

Tommy Godwin (footballer) Thomas Fergus Godwin (20 August 1927 – 21 August 1996), commonly referred to as Tommy Godwin, was an Irish footballer who played for shamrock Rovers, Leicester City and Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic. On 21 September 1949, together with Con ...

(1927–1996), Irish footballer *

Tommy Godwin (cyclist, born 1912) Thomas Edward Godwin (1912–1975) was an English cyclist who held the world cycling record for most miles covered in a year () and the fastest completion of . In 1939, Godwin entered the Golden Book of Cycling as the greatest long-distance ri ...

(1912–1975), English cyclist and world record holder for miles covered in a year *

Tommy Godwin (cyclist, born 1920) Thomas Charles Godwin (5 November 1920 – 3 November 2012) was a British track cyclist, active during the 1940s and 1950s. He held national records and raced abroad. He later became a coach, manager, and administrator. In 2010 he was selected ...

(1920–2012), British track cyclist active during the 1940s and 1950s *

Verdi Godwin Verdi Godwin BEM (11 February 1926 – 1 December 2013) was an English footballer who played as a forward in the Football League for Blackburn Rovers, Manchester City, Mansfield Town, Middlesbrough, Grimsby Town, Brentford and Stoke City. Afte ...

(1926–2013), English footballer *

Wayne Godwin Wayne Robert Godwin (born 13 March 1982) is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played as a in the 2000s and 2010s. Godwin played for the Castleford Tigers ( Heritage № 779), the Wigan Warriors ( Heritage № 971), H ...

(born 1982), English rugby player

Military

Captain Abraham Godwin Abraham Godwin (November 23, 1724 – February 9, 1777) was a carpenter from New York City and one of the first American settlers in the area of Paterson, New Jersey, earlier known as Acquackanonk. He built the Godwin Hotel, and opened a stage coa ...

(1724–1777), Captain of Marines on the USS ''Lady Washington'' in the American Revolutionary War *

Bill Godwin Brigadier W. A. "Bill" Godwin was a Rhodesian army officer. He served with the Rhodesian African Rifles (RAR) during the British colonial era and was mentioned in despatches for service during the Malayan Emergency. After Rhodesia's 1965 unil ...

, Rhodesian brigadier *

James Godwin James Basil "Gib" Godwin III (born February 6, 1951), a retired Rear Admiral (upper half) of the United States Navy, was the Program Executive Officer – Enterprise Information Systems of the Department of the Navy. His responsibilities in ...

, American admiral *

James Gowing Godwin James Gowing Godwin (12 March 1923 – 2 May 1995) was a pilot of the Royal New Zealand Air Force during the Second World War, who subsequently became a prisoner of war. After the end of the war, as a captain in the Australian Army, he became an ...

(1923–1995), New Zealand military aviator *

John Godwin (Royal Navy officer) Temporary Lieutenant John Godwin, RNVR (13 December 1919 – 2 February 1945) was a British naval officer. Born and brought up in Argentina, he took part in a raid named Operation Checkmate on Axis shipping near Haugesund, north of Stavanger, N ...

(1919–1945), British Naval Reserve officer during World War II

Other people

* Becky Godwin (1954–1968), daughter of Virginia Governor Godwin, killed by lightning * Glen Stewart Godwin (born 1958), American murderer, former FBI Ten Most Wanted fugitive *

Mike Godwin Michael Wayne Godwin (born October 26, 1956) is an American attorney and author. He was the first staff counsel of the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), and he created the Internet adage Godwin's law and the notion of an Internet meme, as ...

(born 1956), American lawyer, created Godwin's law of Internet discussions (mentioning Hitler)

Fictional characters

* Neil Godwin, from ''The Office''

Places

Godwin, North Carolina Godwin is a town in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 139 at the 2010 census. History Godwin was named after Isaac William Godwin, a pioneer settler. Geography Godwin is located in northeastern Cumberland County ...

Other uses

* ''

General Godwin ''General Godwin'' was a convict ship that transported fifteen convicts from Calcutta, India to Fremantle, Western Australia in 1854. It arrived in Fremantle on 28 March 1854. The fifteen convicts were all soldiers who had been convicted by court ...

'', convict ship * "Godwin" (Korede Bello song), a song by Nigerian artiste Korede Bello *

Godwin's law Godwin's law, short for Godwin's law (or rule) of Nazi analogies, is an Internet adage asserting that as an online discussion grows longer (regardless of topic or scope), the probability of a comparison to Nazis or Adolf Hitler approaches 1. P ...

on comparison with Nazis, named after American lawyer Mike Godwin