Goad
A surname that may come from an old word for a goad or spear, though some early writers also treated it as a form of Good.
The #3,920 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 34,070 Americans shares it.
Etymology
This surname is likely connected with Old English and Middle English words for a goad or pointed tool, from the same Germanic word family as "gad" and "goad". That makes it a possible nickname or occupational surname for someone associated with a stick, spear, or driving tool. However, older surname dictionaries also sometimes linked Goad with "Good," so the origin is not entirely settled.
History
Early English surname books place Goad among surnames found in local and historical records, especially in the west of England. Modern bearers are most often found in England and the United States, where the name remained relatively uncommon. The surname may also have developed alongside spellings such as Gadd and Gad.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
A 19th-century dictionary of surnames explicitly said Goad was "probably Good," showing how uncertain some older surname explanations can be.
From the historical record
“was assumed in the XVI. cent. GOAD. Probably Good. A-Sax. god. GOAT. A narrow cavern or Inlet into which the sea enters. Jamieson. GOATER. GOTER. A goat-herd ? GOATMAN. A keeper of goats ; a goat- herd. GOBLET. Perhaps a trader's sign.”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom