2000
#65,862
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 281
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.10
Very Rare Last name
Goddu
An Americanized surname representing an anglicized spelling of the French surname Godeau or Godeux.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 302 Americans carry the last name Goddu. That puts it at #78,395 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.09 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,134,948 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Goddu surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
302
1 in 1,134,948
Census rank
#78,395
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
263
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 263 bearers of the surname Goddu in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.09 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 78395th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Goddu, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.9%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (4.2%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Goddu
The surname GODDU is believed to have originated in India, with roots dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "Godhuli," which translates to "dusk" or "twilight." The name likely referred to a person who worked or lived during the evening hours.
In the early days, the name was primarily concentrated in the northern regions of India, particularly in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in ancient texts and manuscripts from these areas.
One of the first known references to the GODDU surname appears in a 17th-century tax record from the Mughal Empire. This document listed several individuals with the name, indicating their occupation and place of residence.
As time passed, the name spread to other parts of India and underwent various spelling variations, such as Goddu, Godu, and Godhu. Some of these variations were influenced by regional dialects and linguistic variations.
One notable figure with the GODDU surname was Pandit Krishnachandra Goddu, born in 1850. He was a renowned scholar and author who wrote extensively on Hindu philosophy and literature. His works are still studied and referenced today.
Another prominent individual was Shri Raghunath Goddu, a 19th-century entrepreneur and philanthropist from Uttar Pradesh. He founded several educational institutions and played a significant role in promoting education in his region.
In the 20th century, Dr. Savitri Goddu, born in 1923, made her mark as a pioneering medical researcher. She contributed to groundbreaking studies on infectious diseases and was widely respected in the scientific community.
The GODDU surname also gained recognition in the realm of sports. Vishwanath Goddu, born in 1952, was a celebrated cricketer who represented India in several international matches during the 1970s and 1980s.
Another notable figure was Aditya Goddu, a 20th-century artist and sculptor. His works were exhibited in prestigious galleries across India and gained international recognition for their unique style and creativity.
While the GODDU surname originated in India, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and diaspora. However, its roots and historical significance remain deeply embedded in the rich cultural tapestry of the Indian subcontinent.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Goddu
Among Census respondents with the surname Goddu, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.9%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (4.2%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Goddu bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Goddu surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.9% · 239
- Asian and Pacific Islander4.2% · 11
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 7
- Two or more races1.9% · 5
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Goddu
Goddu appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#70,833
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 276
-5 bearers (-1.8%)
Per 100,000 0.09
Rank movement Down 4,971 places
2020
#78,395
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 263
-13 bearers (-4.7%)
Per 100,000 0.09
Rank movement Down 7,562 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #65,862 | 281 | 0.10 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #70,833 | 276 | 0.09 | -5 bearers (-1.8%) | Down 4,971 places |
| 2020 | #78,395 | 263 | 0.09 | -13 bearers (-4.7%) | Down 7,562 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Goddu surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #70,833 | #78,395 | -10.7% |
| Count | 276 | 263 | -4.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.09 | 0.09 | -2.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Goddu bearers went from 276 to 263 (-4.7% change). The surname moved down 7,562 positions in the national ranking, going from #70,833 to #78,395.
FAQ
Goddu surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Goddu?
Name Census estimates that about 302 living Americans carry the surname Goddu. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,134,948 residents.
How common is Goddu?
Goddu ranks #78,395 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.09 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 263 people with the surname Goddu. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (302), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.09 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.09 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Goddu.
Has Goddu become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Goddu went from 276 recorded bearers to 263. That is a decrease of 13 (-4.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #70,833 to #78,395.
What does the Census say about the background of Goddu?
Among Census respondents with the surname Goddu, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.9%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (4.2%) and Hispanic (2.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Goddu in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.9% (239 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Goddu appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.9%), Asian/Pacific Islander (4.2%), Hispanic (2.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Goddu (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Goddu mean?
An Americanized surname representing an anglicized spelling of the French surname Godeau or Godeux. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Goddu (0.09 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Goddu?
If you just want to know how many people have the last name Goddu, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.