Wood (surname)
 A common derivation of the name is from a person who resided or worked near a wood or forest | |
| Gender | Unisex |
|---|---|
| Language(s) | English |
| Origin | |
| Language(s) | Middle English |
| Derivation | 1. wode 2. wod, wode |
| Meaning | 1. "wood", "forest" 2. "mad", "frenzied" |
| Other names | |
| See also | Boyce, Woods |
Wood is a surname in the English language. It is common throughout the world, especially countries with historical links to Britain.
Etymology
The surname Wood appears to have two main origins. As a topographic name, it was used to describe a person who lived in, or worked in a wood or forest. This name is derived from the Middle English wode, meaning "wood" (from the Old English wudu).[1] An early occurrence of this surname (of a personal residing near a wood) is de la Wode, in Hertfordshire, England, in 1242.[2] The locational name also appeared in early records Latinised as de Bosco[3] (from the Old French bois, meaning "wood").[4] Another derivation, which could explain why the name Wood is more common than most topographic surnames, comes from Wod, the fearsome Germanic god of storms and war,and came to be used to describe someone as "wild" or "crazy", meaning one who becomes frenzied or savage in the midst of battle - surely a patronymic to be proud of in those unstable, warlike societies of ancient times. Old English wōd,[2] wad,[1] and Middle English wod, wode, all meaning "frenzied" or "wild".[1][2]. For topographical/locational references see. [2] An early occurrence of the surname derived in this fashion is le Wode, in Worcestershire, England, in 1221.[2][1]
Variants
Variant forms of the name include the surnames Woodd, Woode, Woods, Wod, and Wode.[2]
Popularity
In England, Wales and the Isle of Man it is the 26th most-common surname[5], in Scotland it is the 53rd most-common surname[6] and in the United States the 78th[7].
References
- ^ a b c d Learn about the family history of your surname, Ancestry.com, retrieved 11 December 2010 which cited: Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-508137-4 for the surname "Wood".
- ^ a b c d e f Reaney, Percy Hilde (2006), A Dictionary of English Surnames (3rd ed.), London: Routledge, pp. 3474–3475, ISBN 0-203-99355-1
{{citation}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Black, George Fraser (1946), The Surnames of Scotland: Their Origin, Meaning, and History, New York: New York Public Library, p. 822
- ^ Learn about the family history of your surname, Ancestry.com, retrieved 11 December 2010 which cited: Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-508137-4 for the surname "Boyce".
- ^ "Most Common Surnames in England, Wales and the Isle of Man". Behind the Name: The Etymology and History of Surnames. Mike Campbell. 2007. Retrieved 2007-03-31.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help)(cites its source as the 'National Health Service Central Register, using birth and death registers from 1999-2001' - ^ "100 Most Common Surnames". General Register Office for Scotland. 2004-11-04. Retrieved 2007-03-31.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ "Most Common Surnames in the U.S." Rhett A. Butler. 2006. Retrieved 2007-03-31.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help)(cites its source as the U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division, Population Analysis & Evaluation Staff)