Wood Name Origin, Meaning and Family History

Wood Name Meaning: Has two possible meanings - from a person living or working in a wood or forest; or from Wod/Wad (Old English) meaning crazy or crazed. This is linked in to a person being violent or savage in a battle.

It was first recorded in 1242 in Hertfordshire.

Discover how your Wood ancestors earned their living and spread across the country. Find out more about your family history by using the Free Search box.

Surname Distribution

Census frequency by county

Name Concentrations Within England and Wales

Wood Surname Statistics


Top Professions for the Wood family

Profession Census Frequency
Scholar 17,485
Agricultural Labourer 1,173
Coal Miner 1,050
Domestic Servant 794
Cotton Weaver 752
Dress Maker 724
Labourer 724
General Labourer 720
General Servant 593
Laundress 409
Annuitant 402
House Keeper 377
Farm Labourer 363
Carpenter 294
General Servant Domestic 293
Joiner 264
Woollen Weaver 250
Charwoman 230
Farm Servant Indoor 227
Butcher 214
Farmers Son 212
Shoe Maker 210
Grocer 207
No Occupation 203
Worsted Weaver 203

Wood Surname Variants Ranking

Rank Surname Match Census Frequency
1 Wood 100% 662,957
2 Wade 25% 87,141
3 Weed 50% 2,171
4 Wide 25% 1,219
5 Waud 50% 942
6 Waid 50% 926
7 Waide 40% 905
8 Wadd 50% 842
9 Woode 80% 410
10 Awde 0% 269
11 Woodd 80% 236
12 Wodd 75% 219
13 Wead 50% 142
14 Wode 50% 133
15 Wad 50% 132
16 Wood House 40% 129
17 Wied 50% 126
18 Waude 40% 111

Did you know?

The surname Wood is the most popular version of all its varients

Search for the Wood family