Godwin is an English-language surname with Anglo-Saxon origins. It means God's friend and is thus equivalent to Theophilus, Jedediah, Amadeus and Reuel. However, the word "Godwin" can also mean "helper of mankind" Surname or only known name House of Godwin Ancestry of the Godwins Godwin, Earl of Wessex (died 1053), earl in England under the Danish king Cnut the Great Harold Godwinson Edmund, son of Harold Godwinson Godwin, son of Harold Godwinson Harold, son of Harold Godwinson Magnus, son of Harold Godwinson Ulf, son of Harold Godwinson Gyrth Godwinson Sweyn Godwinson Tostig Godwinson Leofwine Godwinson Wulfnoth Godwinson Politics and governance Abraham Godwin (1763–1835), New Jersey General Assembly 1802–1806, Elector for Andrew Jackson 1828 Abraham Godwin Jr. (1791–1849), New Jersey General Assembly 1821–1832, took vote to D.C. for Presidential Election 1840 Hannibal Lafayette Godwin (1873–1929), North Carolina Congressman Mary Wollstonecraft, 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 (1922–2005), First Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics William Godwin (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, 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 (1817–1889), English hymnwriter, religious poet Fay Godwin (1931–2005), British photographer Frank Godwin (1889–1959), American illustrator, creator of Connie comic strip Frank Godwin (film producer) (1917–2012), English film producer Gail Godwin (born 1937), American novelist and short story writer George Stanley Godwin (1889–1974), English author Jeff Godwin, American fundamentalist, former rock musician Joscelyn Godwin (born 1945), English musicologist and translator Mary Godwin (artist) (1887–1960), British artist Mary Shelley (née Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin; 1797–1851), English author of Frankenstein Parke Godwin (1929–2013), American writer Parke Godwin (journalist) (1816–1904), American journalist Paul Godwin (1902–1982), Polish violinist and bandleader Peter Godwin (born 1957), Zimbabwean author and journalist Peter Godwin (singer), English new wave musician Robert Godwin (born 1958), British author Ted Godwin (1933–2013), Canadian artist Tom Godwin (1915–1980), American science fiction author Science George Godwin (1813–1888), British architect, town planner and journalist Harry Godwin (1901–1985), English botanist Henry Haversham Godwin-Austen (1834–1923), English geologist and ornithologist Linda M. Godwin (born 1952), American astronaut Robert Alfred Cloynes Godwin-Austen (1808–1884), English geologist Sport Billy