Contents [hide]

Woodford History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Citations

Woodford History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

The name Woodford reached England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Woodford family lived in Leicestershire, at Woodford which was in turn derived from the words wood and ford, and refers to a residence near both a ford and a wood. 1

"The Middle English form was usually Wodeford, as in the case of the Wiltshire and Somerset places. The Anglo-Saxon form was Wudaforda, as in a Hampshire charter dated A.D. 701. " 2

Early Origins of the Woodford family

The surname Woodford was first found in Leicestershire, but there is also a parish in Wiltshire, four miles from Salisbury and a parish in Essex, eight miles from London. 3

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 showed scattered listings for the family: Geoffrey de Wodeford, Wiltshire; Symon Wodeford, Buckinghamshire; and Nicholas de Wodeford, Gloucestershire. 3

Kirby's Quest listed "Geoffrey de Wodeford, Somerset, 1 Edward I [(during the first year's reign of King Edward I)]" 4

William of Woodford or Wydford (fl. 1380-1411), was "a Franciscan and was educated at Oxford, where he graduated D.D. There is little doubt that Woodford is the William de Wydford whom Margaret, countess of Norfolk, described in 1384 as her 'well-beloved father in God,' and for the term of whose life she granted the minoresses of Aldgate. " 5

Scotland is of note too as the name was derived "from the lands of the same name in the parish of St. Boswells, Roxburghshire. Jordan de Wodford witnessed a charter of Walter de Berkeley, c. 1170, and Walterus de Wudeford witnessed a confirmation charter by Alexander II in Peebles, 1228. Robert de Wodforde sometime between 1285 and 1306 bestowed his whole property of Wodfordehous in the territory of Lessedewyne upon the monks of Melrose. " 6

Early History of the Woodford family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Woodford research. Another 173 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1226, 1330, 1333, 1338, 1354, 1358, 1636, 1676, 1680 and 1700 are included under the topic Early Woodford History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Woodford Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, Norman French and other languages became incorporated into English throughout the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Woodford include Woodford, Woodforde, Woodfort, Wudeford, Wudefort, Woodforte, Wuidford, Wuidfort, Wodefort, Wodeford, Woodfurt, Woodfurte, Woodferte, Woodferd, Wyfordby, Wydford, Wyford, Wyfort and many more.

Early Notables of the Woodford family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Samuel Woodford (1636-1700), English divine and poet, born on 15 April 1636 in the parish of All Hallows in the Wall, London...
He was the eldest son of Robert Woodford of Northampton...

Woodford Ranking

In the United States, the name Woodford is the 6,414^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 7 However, in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Woodford is ranked the 319^th most popular surname with an estimated 144 people with that name. 8

Migration of the Woodford family to Ireland

Some of the Woodford family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Woodford migration to the United States +

In England at this time, the uncertainty of the political and religious environment of the time caused many families to board ships for distant British colonies in the hopes of finding land and opportunity, and escaping persecution. The voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, though, and many arrived in North America sick, starved, and destitute. Those who did make it, however, were greeted with greater opportunities and freedoms that they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Early immigration records have shown some of the first Woodfords to arrive on North American shores:

Woodford Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Thomas Woodford, who arrived in Plymouth, Massachusetts from Lincolnshire in 1631
Thomas Woodford, who arrived in New England in 1632 aboard the ship "William and Francis", bound for Boston 9
Jon Woodford, who arrived in Virginia in 1638 9
Richard Woodford and Roger arrived in Virginia in 1651
Richard Woodford, who landed in Virginia in 1651 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Woodford Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Robert Woodford, who arrived in Virginia in 1713 9
Henry Woodford, who landed in Virginia in 1719 9
Thomas Woodford, who arrived in Maryland in 1775
Geo Woodford, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1775 9

Woodford Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

William Woodford, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1834 9

Woodford Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Thomas William Woodford, aged 24, originally from Nottingham, England, who arrived in New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Baltic" from Liverpool, England 10
Charles F. Woodford, aged 15, who arrived in New York City, New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Tartar Prince" from Cardiff 10
James Woodford, aged 21, who arrived in New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Aquitania" from Liverpool, England 10
Wilford Charles Woodford, aged 21, originally from Bristol, England, who arrived in New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Mauretania" from Southampton, England 10

Woodford migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Woodford Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. George Woodford, English convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Duke of Portland" in January 1807, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 11
Miss Priscilla Woodford, (b. 1815), aged 17, English servant who was convicted in Lincolnshire, England for life for arson, transported aboard the "Fanny" on 14th July 1832, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 12
Mr. Samuel Woodford, (b. 1806), aged 34, British Quarryman who was convicted in Leicester, England for 15 years for stealing sheep, transported aboard the "Asia" on 25th April 1840, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1840 13
Mr. John Woodford, English convict who was convicted in Northamptonshire, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "David Clarke" on 3rd June 1841, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 14
Benjamin Woodford, aged 32, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1851 aboard the ship "Hydaspes" 15
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Woodford migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Woodford Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Richard Woodford, (b. 1811), aged 39, British agricultural labourer travelling from London aboard the ship "Randolph" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand in September 1850 16
Mrs. Ann Woodford, (b. 1812), aged 38, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Randolph" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand in September 1850 16
Mr. Richard Woodford, (b. 1847), aged 3, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Randolph" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand in September 1850 16
Miss Sarah Elizabeth Woodford, (b. 1848), aged 2, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Randolph" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand in September 1850 16
Miss Mary Ann Woodford, (b. 1849), aged 1, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Randolph" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand in September 1850 16
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Woodford (post 1700) +

Larry Woodford, American politician, former Democratic member of the Ohio House of Representatives
Michael Dean Woodford Jr. (b. 1981), American professional ice hockey forward from Westford, Massachusetts
Jack Woodford (1894-1971), American pulp novelist and non-fiction author of the 1930s and 1940s
Michael Dean Woodford (b. 1955), American macroeconomist and monetary theorist, professor at Columbia University
Stewart Lyndon Woodford (1835-1913), American politician, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York from 1877 to 1883
William Woodford (1734-1780), American Revolutionary War general from Virginia
James Russell Woodford (1820-1885), English divine, Bishop of Ely, born on 30 April 1820 at Henley-on-Thames, the only son of James Russell Woodford, a hop-merchant in Southwark 17
James Woodford (1893-1976), English sculptor from Nottingham
Michael Christopher Woodford MBE (b. 1960), British businessman, former President and CEO of Olympus Corporation
Field Marshal Sir Alexander George Woodford KCB, KCMG (1782-1870), British Army officer, born at 30 Welbeck Street, London, the elder son of Lieutenant-colonel John Woodford (d. 1800) 17
... (Another 4 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Woodford family +

HMS Royal Oak

George Woodford (d. 1939), British Leading Stoker with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 18

RMS Titanic

Mr. Frederick Ernest Woodford (d. 1912), aged 40, English Trimmer from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 19

The Woodford Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Pro aris et focis
Motto Translation: For our altars and our home.

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/duke-of-portland
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 29th September 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/fanny
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th January 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1840
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 3rd June 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/david-clarke
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) HYDASPES 1851. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1851Hydaspes.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 13 Feb. 2019
Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html