Goethe (also Göthe and Gœthe) is a German surname.
It is best known for Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832).
It belongs to the group of surnames derived from given names, in this case given names in Got-, in most cases likely Gottfried (c.f.
Variants of the surname include Göth, Goeth and Göthke, Götke.
[1] Members of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's family bearing the surname: Other people called Goethe, Göthe, Gothe or Göth: