Geoffrey

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Geoffrey
Gender:	Male
Origin:	English
Meaning:	"Peace"

"Geoffrey" is a common English given name, commonly abbreviated as "Geoff". ^[1] Geoffrey originated from an Old French form of a Germanic name. Although the name's second element is "frid", meaning "peace", the first element of the name is disputed. Possible words that it originated from include "gawia" ("territory"), "walah" ("stranger"), "gisil" ("hostage") or "god". It is considered possible that more than one of these words were used as elements of the same name. If "god" was among them, "Geoffrey" would likely be related to the name "Godfrey". ^[2] Medieval variants on "Geoffrey" include "Jeffrey" and "Jeffery". ^[3][4] This form is still common in the United States, but is little known elsewhere.

The name was introduced to England by the Normans after William the Conqueror's conquest of England in 1066. It was particularly popular among English nobility. ^[5] Geoff or Geoffrey may refer to:

In television and film:

• Geoffrey Beevers, British actor who has appeared in many different television roles
• Geoff Dolan, New Zealand actor, singer and corporate entertainer
• Geoffrey Hayes, English television presenter and actor
• Geoffrey Lewis, American character actor who has been popular since the early 1970s
• Geoff Morrell, Australian film and theatre actor
• Geoff Murphy, New Zealand film director, writer and assistant director
• Geoffrey Rush, Australian Academy Award and Emmy Award winning actor
• Geoff Thompson, writer, film director and self-defence expert
• Geoffrey Wright, Australian film director born in Melbourne in 1959

In sports:

• Geoff Bent, one of the eight Manchester United players that lost their lives in the Munich air disaster
• Geoff Blum, infielder in Major League Baseball
• Geoffrey Boycott, former England cricketer
• Geoff Capes, former British shot put champion and two-time World's Strongest Man winner
• Geoff Howarth, New Zealand cricketer
• Geoff Hurst, the only footballer who ever scored a hat-trick in a World Cup final
• Geoff Jenkins, outfielder in Major League Baseball
• Geoff Ogilvy, New Zealand golfer, winner of the 2006 US Open.
• Geoff Troy, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Kicker, #1 D3 Kicker in the nation in 2005

In literature:

• Geoffrey Chaucer, English author, poet, philosopher, bureaucrat, and diplomat
• Geoff Johns, American writer of comic books

In music:

• Geoff Rickly, the lead singer and lyricist of the Post-Hardcore band Thursday
• Geoff Tate, American singer
• Geoff Nicholls, former keyboard player for Black Sabbath
• Geoff Downes, Keyboard player known for his work with The Buggles, Yes and Asia
• Geoff Barrow, producer/instrumentalist for the band, Portishead

In history:

• Geoffrey Rudolph Elton, pre-eminent British historian of the Tudor period
• Geoffrey of Monmouth, clergyman and one of the major figures in the development of British history
• Geoffrey I of Anjou (died 987).
• Geoffrey II of Anjou (died 1060).
• Geoffrey III of Anjou (died 1096).
• Geoffrey IV of Anjou (died 1106).
• Geoffrey V, Count of Anjou (1113–1151), The father of King Henry II of England
• Geoffroy du Breuil of Vigeois, 12th century French chronicler.
• Geoffroy de Charney (died 1314), Preceptor of the Knights Templar.
• Geoffroy IV de la Tour Landry (c. 1320–1391), French nobleman and writer.
• Jean-Nicolas Geoffroy (1633–1694), French harpsichordist and organist.
• Étienne François Geoffroy (1672–1731), French apothecary and chemist.
• Claude Joseph Geoffroy (1685–1752), French apothecary, chemist and botanist; younger brother of Étienne François Geoffroy.
• Claude François Geoffroy (1729–1753), French chemist, discoverer of bismuth.
• Étienne Louis Geoffroy (1725–1810), French entomologist.
• Julien Louis Geoffroy (1743–1814), French literary critic.
• Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire (1772–1844), French naturalist.
• Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire (1805–1861), French zoologist, son of Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire.

In other fields:

• Geoff Dixon, Australian corporate executive and current CEO and Managing Director of Qanta
• Geoffrey the Giraffe, Toys "R" Us mascot

[edit] References

• Campbell, Mike (2005). "Geoff". Retrieved Dec. 15, 2005.
• Campbell, Mike (2005). "Geoffrey". Retrieved Dec. 15, 2005.
• Campbell, Mike (2005). "Godfrey". Retrieved Dec. 15, 2005.
• Campbell, Mike (2005). "Jeffery". Retrieved Dec. 15, 2005.
• Campbell, Mike (2005). "Jeffrey". Retrieved Dec. 15, 2005.

[edit] Notes

1. ^  - Campbell "Geoff".
2. ^  - Campbell "Godfrey".
3. ^  - Campbell "Jeffrey".
4. ^  - Campbell "Jeffery".
5. ^  - Campbell "Geoffrey".

[edit] See also

• Jeff
• Jeffrey (name)