Golovnin appeared set to continue the family tradition, but his father died while he was still a child, and at the age of twelve he was enrolled in the Russian Naval College as a cadet.
Golovnin stod til at følge familietraditionen, men hans far døde, mens han stadig var barn, og i en alder af tolv blev han indskrevet på det russiske flådeakademi som kadet.