Godwins

Godwins is an English surname, the plural form of Godwin, derived from the medieval given name Godwine. The name itself comes from Old English elements god and wine, commonly interpreted as meaning “friend of God” or “God’s friend.” As a patronymic surname, Godwins indicated descent from someone named Godwin or Godwine; spellings such as Godwin, Godwyn, and Godwine appear in medieval records. In modern times the name remains most common in the United Kingdom and among English-speaking populations in North America, Australasia, and beyond.

Notable people bearing the surname include William Godwin, an English philosopher and novelist of the late 18th and early 19th centuries; and Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin Shelley, who wrote as Mary Shelley and was the daughter of William Godwin and the writer Mary Wollstonecraft. The Godwin name also appears in other fields, such as George Godwin, an English architect and commentator on architecture. Through the Godwin family, the surname is tied to British literary and intellectual history, notably the Romantic-era circle surrounding William Godwin and Mary Shelley.

Variants of the name include Godwin, Godwyn, and Godwine, reflecting historical spellings before standardization. The surname Godwins is distinct from, though sometimes conceptually linked to, Godwin’s Law, a later internet adage named after Mike Godwin.