Question

Was GOD ever a surname in England ?

Answer 1

Generally, I think not, but there is this record from 1557:

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NDZ3-2JL

Comments

Interesting, Ron. Not having the actual image to read, I wonder if this is a transcription error ?

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Could be!!

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I just found her real surname ...which is not "God". Fixed.

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The answer to the question is, of course, no. Which is a shame really, I was hoping to see evidence of religious one-upmanship at a time when religion seems to have dominated all thought. That's the reason why no-one would have been called God - at the time this would still have been a heresy, although times were changing and they would probably not have faced much more than ostracization.

My curiousity is now piqued - so what was her name?

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Bigod is the closest I have seen.

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John, her name (with what minimal sources I could see in the split second that I had to look) is MOORE.

Bigod , yes...Doug,I can see that as a surname, By God !

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I remember reading a news story a few months ago, in which there was a court case - I think it was in Tennessee, but not certain - about a first name.  A woman wanted to name her son Savior and someone refused to enter it on the birth certificate or refused to file the birth certificate or something.  The judge ruled that she could not name her child Savior and issued chapter and verse (pardon the expression, please) of why, which was, effectively, the judge delivering a religious sermon.  There was a whole brouhaha about separation of church and state.  I don't recall the final outcome ... just thought the story sort of fits in here!

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Ah!! Bigod, now that makes sense!

It is a Norman-French name. People with this name were hranted earldom of Norfolk after the conquest. Is that why your person is linked to the Royal Aristo etc project?

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She could have named him Zaviour, that is a recognised name and sounds nearly the same.

Answer 2

Goode is derived from England, I think.