Surname Woodford - Meaning and Origin

Woodford: What does the surname Woodford mean?

The last name Woodford is of Anglo-Saxon origin, coming from a geographical locality. It is derived from the Old English words "Woed" (wood) and "ford" (ford or crossing), so it is likely that the family originated from a place called "Wood Ford".

In England, "Woodford" is most common in areas that were originally forests and woodlands. It is most prominent around the counties of Gloucester, Hereford, and Warwickshire in the Midlands.

The Woodford surname has spread over the centuries as individuals moved in search of work and new opportunities. Today, it can be found across the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and other countries.

In some cases, Woodford may also be an Anglicized variation of foreign names, such as Wurzburg in Germany, or the surname Gautier, which comes from the Latin "gualtieri" and was often used in Medieval England.

People with this surname may belong to a variety of different family lines. Some may have descended from traveling hunters and gatherers from the Middle Ages, while others may be more recently descended from workers and traders who came to England during the industrial revolution of the 18th and 19th centuries.

Woodford is a surname with a long and interesting history that connects many generations together. It is often associated with strength, hardiness and resilience, and is a reminder of the family's strength and courage throughout the centuries.

Woodford: Where does the name Woodford come from?

The last name Woodford is primarily found in the United Kingdom and the United States today. The surname originated in England in the 13th century and is of Anglo-Saxon origin. It is derived from the Old English words “wudu” and “ford,” meaning “wood” and “ford” respectively.

In the United Kingdom, Woodford is most common in the counties of Essex, Kent and Devon. In particular, Woodford is the eighth most common surname in the county of Essex. It is also found in other parts of the British Isles such as Ireland and Scotland. According to the 1881 census, Woodford was the 17th most common surname across England and Ireland.

In the United States, Woodford is the 706th most common surname. It is most prevalent in the states of New Hampshire, Vermont and Kentucky. In the states of New Hampshire and Vermont, the surname has strong ties to the English settlers who arrived in the early 17th century. In Kentucky, the surname is more closely tied to the Scotch-Irish settlers.

Overall, Woodford is a fairly common name across the United Kingdom and the United States. The surname may have derived from the occupations of its original bearer’s such as being a ford keeper or a fender.

Variations of the surname Woodford

The Woodford surname is derived from Wood, an Anglo-Saxon word meaning “wood” or “forest” and the word ford, meaning a shallow area of a river that can be easily crossed. The surname Woodford is found in various forms around the world, including Woodforde, Woodfordy, Woodfurd and Woodfard.

In the United Kingdom, variations of the Woodford surname can be found in the records of England, Scotland and Wales. These include Woodforde, Woodfyord, Wadford, Wodford, Wodfurd, Widford and Woolford.

In the United States, the surname Woodford has been found in records dating back as early as the 18th century. The most common variations are Woodford, Woodforde, Woodward, Woodiyard, Woolford and Woolfard.

In other countries, variations of the Woodford surname include Woodferd (Germany), Udford (Australia) and Wodford (Canada).

In addition to the various spellings of the Woodford surname, there are also variations in the pronunciation of the same surname. These include Wude-ford, Woods-ford, Wood-fuhrd, Wool-fuhrd and Woolz-fuhrd.

Regardless of the variation, the common thread of the Woodford name is its origin in a wooded area by a river or stream.

Famous people with the name Woodford

• Squire Woodford: Squire Woodford is a successful entrepreneur who was featured on the BBC series, Dragon's Den. He is the founder and CEO of several startups and actively invests in businesses.
• Renee Woodford: Renee Woodford is an award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. She has released four studio albums and won both the Juno Award for Breakthrough Artist and the Canadian Folk Music Award for Contemporary Album of the Year.
• John Woodford: John Woodford is a British artist who has been praised for his expressive and emotive sketch drawings. His works were featured at the National Gallery of Greece and the National Gallery of Arts in Prague.
• Chris Woodford: Chris Woodford is a British science writer and frequent contributor to the BBC and Guardian. He specializes in popularizing science topics and is the author of several acclaimed books, such as Earth’s Climate: Past and Future and Explore Psychology.
• Larry Woodford: Larry Woodford is a retired professional ice hockey player who spent most of his career playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He went on to became a successful coach and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015.
• Nellie Woodford: Nellie Woodford is a British scholar, theatre producer, and campaigner. She earned a PhD in Classics from the University of Cambridge and won the John Thibault Award for her advocacy on behalf of women's rights.
• Lucas Woodford: Lucas Woodford is an American YouTuber and musician who creates vlogs, song covers, and musical instruction videos. He has amassed over a million subscribers and his videos have been viewed over 300 million times.

Other surnames

WoodfolkWoodfork