Contents [hide]

Woods History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Sources

Woods History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

Etymology of Woods

What does the name Woods mean?

The surname Woods comes from the Irish "Ó Cuill," meaning hazel. Because of the similarity between "cuill" and "coill" meaning wood, the surname was often translated into Woods. 1

Early Origins of the Woods family

The surname Woods was first found in Counties Cork and Kerry (Irish:Ciarraí) part of the former County Desmond (14th-17th centuries), located in Southwestern Ireland, in Munster province, where it belonged to a distinguished bardic family.

The Ó Cuill family of Kilnamagh had two members worthy of an obituary in the Annals: Cinnfaelidh Ó Cuill (d.1048), chief poet of Munster, and Cinnfealidh Ó Cuill or Kinealy O'Quill (d.1507), Chief of His Name.

Early History of the Woods family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Woods research. Another 35 words (2 lines of text) covering the year 1692 is included under the topic Early Woods History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Woods Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Quill, O'Quill, Woods and others.

Early Notables of the Woods family

More information is included under the topic Early Woods Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Woods World Ranking

the United States, the name Woods is the 107^th most popular surname with an estimated 198,960 people with that name. 2 However, in Canada, the name Woods is ranked the 331^st most popular surname with an estimated 13,644 people with that name. 3 And in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Woods is the 708^th popular surname with an estimated 61 people with that name. 4 Australia ranks Woods as 120^th with 22,287 people. 5 New Zealand ranks Woods as 179^th with 3,047 people. 6 The United Kingdom ranks Woods as 154^th with 34,119 people. 7

Woods migration to the United States +

Woods Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Mr. William Woods who arrived in Salem, Massachusetts in 1630 aboard the ship "Ambrose" as part of the Winthrop Fleet, found in Boston 8

Woods Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Ann Woods, who landed in Virginia in 1769-1770 9

Woods Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

David Woods, aged 25, who arrived in Alexandria, Va in 1801 9
Alexander Woods, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1811 9
James Woods, who arrived in Baltimore, Maryland in 1811 9
Francis Woods, aged 41, who arrived in New York in 1812 9
Anthony Woods, who arrived in New York, NY in 1812 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Woods Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Evans Woods, who landed in Mississippi in 1904 9

Woods migration to Canada +

Woods Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Bernard Woods, aged 20, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the ship "John & Mary" from Belfast, Ireland
Charles Woods, aged 25, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the ship "John & Mary" from Belfast, Ireland
Mary Woods, aged 32, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Ambassador" in 1834
Margaret Woods, aged 29, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Protector" in 1834
Sally Woods, aged 29, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Susan" in 1838
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Woods migration to Australia +

Woods Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

William Woods, English convict from Southampton, who was transported aboard the "Asia" on April 1st, 1822, settling in New South Wales, Australia 10
Mr. William Woods who was convicted in Kent, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Bussorah Merchant" on 24th March 1828, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 11
Mr. Peter Woods, English convict who was convicted in Chester, Cheshire, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Claudine" on 19th August 1829, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 12
Mr. James Woods, English convict who was convicted in Colchester, Essex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Camden" on 21st September 1832, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 13
John Woods, English convict from Southampton, who was transported aboard the "Andromeda" on November 13, 1832, settling in New South Wales, Australia 14
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Woods 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:

Woods Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

William Woods, who landed in Go-ashore, New Zealand in 1840
F Woods, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1841 aboard the ship Arab
Frederick Woods, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Arab" in 1841
Mr. John Woods, British settler as part of the 8th Detachment of the Royal New Zealand Fencibles travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Oriental Queen" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 18th September 1849 15
Mr. Daniell Woods, Cornish settler travelling from Launceston aboard the ship "Spray" arriving in New Zealand in 1852 15
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Woods (post 1700) +

Aaron L. Woods (1950-2025), American politician, Member of the Oregon State Senate (2023-2025)
James Woods (b. 1947), American actor who has received numerous accolades, including three Emmy Awards, and a Golden Globe Award, as well as nominations for two Academy Awards and three Screen Actors Guild Awards.
John Edwin Woods (1942-2023), American translator who specialized in translating German literature, since about 1978
Alexander Woods (2000-2022), better known by his stage name Big Scarr, an American rapper from Memphis, Tennessee; he died from a drug overdose
George Woods (1943-2022), American two-time silver medalist shot putter, inducted to the USATF National Track and Field Hall of Fame in 2007
Jane Haycock Woods (1946-2022), American educator and Republican politician, Member of the Virginia Senate from 1992 to 2000, and Virginia House of Delegates from 1988 to 1992
Stuart Woods (1938-2022), American novelist, best known for his first novel Chiefs and his series of novels featuring the Stone Barrington character
Grant Woods (1954-2021), American attorney and politician who served as 22nd Attorney General of Arizona from 1991 until 1999
Geraldine Pittman "Jerri" Woods (1921-1999), American science administrator; she establishing programs that promote minorities in STEM fields, scientific research, and basic research
... (Another 21 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Woods family +

Cataraqui

John Woods (b. 1809), British passenger who died aboard the ship "Cataraqui" when sailing for Melbourne, Australia she struck rocks of Kings Island and sank on 4th April 1845
Jane Woods (b. 1811), British passenger who died aboard the ship "Cataraqui" when sailing for Melbourne, Australia she struck rocks of Kings Island and sank on 4th April 1845
Henry Woods (b. 1831), British passenger who died aboard the ship "Cataraqui" when sailing for Melbourne, Australia she struck rocks of Kings Island and sank on 4th April 1845
Margaret Woods (b. 1833), British passenger who died aboard the ship "Cataraqui" when sailing for Melbourne, Australia she struck rocks of Kings Island and sank on 4th April 1845
William Woods (b. 1835), British passenger who died aboard the ship "Cataraqui" when sailing for Melbourne, Australia she struck rocks of Kings Island and sank on 4th April 1845
... (Another 40 entries are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Sources +

MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
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)
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's. Retrieved January 6th 2023 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
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)
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Asia 1 voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1822 with 190 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1822
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 5th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bussorah-merchant
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 18th February 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/claudine
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 2nd December 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/camden
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 27) Andromeda voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1832 with 186 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/andromeda/1832
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html