What Jo says about...
Godric Gryffindor

Please note: unless you see quotemarks, these are summaries, and not JKR's word themselves. Please see the linked article for the actual text.

• And I'm going to ask one other question which you'll say isn't clever at all. The significance of the place where Harry and his parents lived, the first name -- Godric Gryffindor.
  Very good, you're a bit good you are, aren't you?
  Thank you.
  I'm impressed. My editor didn't notice, I said to her haven't you noticed any connection between where Harry's parents were born, not born, where they lived, and one of the Hogwarts houses and she's sitting there going erm... I'm not being rude about Emma she's a brilliant editor, the best I've ever [had]. But no she didn't pick that up either. You're a bit good you are. [Read the exact quote from the cBBC Newsround interview, 2000]
• Is Harry related to Godric Gryffindor? JKR: "People are always wondering who Harry might be related to. Maybe he is ;)" [Read the exact quote from World Book Day, 2004]
• The Sorting Hat has never been wrong. When it talks on its own it comes from "the founders themselves." [Read the whole quote from the Leaky Cauldron, 2005]
• As one can guess from the end of Book 6, the founders of Hogwarts will play a role in Book 7. [Read the whole quote from the Leaky Cauldron, 2005]
• JK implies that Harry is not the Heir of Gryffindor. [Read the entire quote from the Leaky Cauldron, 2005]