The Woodward surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 36,764 people carried this name — #944 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 8,030 people counted. That is up 1% from 36,242 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Woodward surname

Occupational surname from woodward.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Woodward» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a name of office: ‘the woodward’.

An early record he cites: Richard le Wodeward, Sussex, 1291–92 (20 Edward I) — Placita de Quo Warranto.

His entry covers Woodward and Woodwards.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 825 · public domain.

In Argentina’s national register

At least 65 people named Woodward live in Argentina.

RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Buenos Aires Province 37
Córdoba 28

RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 35 people named Woodward.

Most of them — 28 — were born outside France. Those born in France came from 3 départements, most often Oise.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born

Born outside France 28
Oise 5
Nord 1
Pas-de-Calais 1

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

In Switzerland’s population statistics

26 people named Woodward live in Switzerland.

They live in 4 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Zurich.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Zurich 13
Geneva 5
Zug 5
Graubünden 3

Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.

In the Nordic population registers

35 people named Woodward is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 35

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Woodward was found among the farmers of 13 counties.

It was most frequent in Worcestershire: 40 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 250. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Worcestershire 40
Derbyshire 27
Gloucestershire 24
Nottinghamshire 19
Essex 18
Staffordshire 17
Oxfordshire 15
Cheshire 14

And 5 more counties.

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In Scotland’s registers today

Woodward was recorded 20 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 1147th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

399 families named Woodward, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 2,306 people lived in those households, 5.8 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 8 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Massachusetts 76
Connecticut 49
North Carolina 48
New Hampshire 38
Virginia 38
Pennsylvania 34
New York 33
Vermont 30
Maryland 19
Maine 14
South Carolina 13
Rhode Island 7

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 269 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Woodward in American newspapers,
1896–1903.

Newspaper page from The Portland Daily Press carrying the name Woodward
The Portland Daily Press 1902-01-13
Newspaper page from New Hampshire Farmer And Weekly Union carrying the name Woodward
New Hampshire Farmer And Weekly Union 1903-05-20
Newspaper page from The Portland Daily Press carrying the name Woodward
The Portland Daily Press 1896-04-02

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 19,110 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Woodward in Australian newspapers,
1810s–2000s.

80,885 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Woodward. The most, 15,861, date from the 1930s.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 29,047
Victoria 17,528
Queensland 16,819
Western Australia 7,395
South Australia 5,760
Tasmania 3,028
ACT (Canberra) 1,055
Northern Territory 43

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Woodward.

Who carried it

People named Woodward,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Richard Woodward
    Richard Woodward 1726–1794 · bishop
  • Samuel Bayard Woodward
    Samuel Bayard Woodward 1787–1850 · psychiatrist
  • Samuel Woodward
    Samuel Woodward 1790–1838 · librarian
  • Samuel Walter Woodward
    Samuel Walter Woodward 1848–1917 · businessperson
  • Samuel Bayard Woodward
    Samuel Bayard Woodward 1853–1946 · physician

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped — Samuel Woodward: unknown author, CC BY 2.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0); the others are in the public domain or CC0 · 304 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Woodward,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States3,673 records

3,673 records of the Woodward name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 1,403
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 673
  • Other U.S. records 1,597
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Ernest E. Woodward

    Born 1911 in Tennessee. Enlisted 1943 at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia; carpenter from Davidson County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1988, buried at Nashville National Cemetery, Tennessee.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Dorothy Woodward

    Born 1895 in Pennsylvania. Enlisted 1944 in the Women's Army Corps at Santa Fe, New Mexico; college president. Veteran of World War II; died 1961, buried at Santa Fe National Cemetery, New Mexico.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Jane Woodward

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Aurania from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 30; nurse. From Cheshire, England; bound for Illinois.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 3,673 records for Woodward in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia2,372 records

2,372 records of the Woodward name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 1,003
  • Tasmanian Names Index 563
  • Other Australian records 806
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Joseph Woodward

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the London, sailing from Portsmouth in 1844. Native of Kinoulton, Nottinghamshire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1850. Married 1850 in Launceston, Tasmania, aged 27.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Edmund Woodward

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Equestrian, sailing from Plymouth in 1852. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1856.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Charles Woodward

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Navarino, sailing from Kingston in 1842. Native of Hampstead, Middlesex. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1846.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 2,372 records for Woodward in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain).

Canada167 records

167 records of the Woodward name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 55
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 36
  • Other Canadian records 76
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Andrew Woodward

    Came to Ontario in 1877 aboard the Polynesian, landing at Quebec, bound for Bracebridge, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Helen Smith Woodward

    Buried in 1986 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 92.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Eileen Woodward

    Died 1996, aged 53; buried at Transcona Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.

Showing 3 of 167 records for Woodward in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

United Kingdom137 records

137 records of the Woodward name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 95
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 36
  • Other British records 6
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record Harry Woodward

    Born 1891 at Handsworth. Served in the First World War. Named in the Morayshire roll of honour (1921).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record John Woodward

    Buried in 1918 at Ballengeich Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 54.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Frederick John Bargh Woodward

    Will proved in 1940; of Conway, Carnarvon.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)

Showing 3 of 137 records for Woodward in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

New Zealand64 records

64 records of the Woodward name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 44
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 12
  • Other New Zealand records 8
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Frederick Robert George Woodward

    Buried in 1894 at Shortland Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 62.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record William Edward Woodward

    Died 1993, aged 72; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Roy William Coombs Woodward

    Died 1991, aged 85; buried at Fairhall Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 64 records for Woodward in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Netherlands22 records

22 records of the Woodward name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 11
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 9
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 2
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record William Woodward

    Died 1898 in Rotterdam, aged 42.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Hannah Woodward

    Died 1956 in Haarlem, aged 67.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 22 records for Woodward in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

France15 records

15 records of the Woodward name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Tanya Dawn Woodward

    Born 1966 in Great Britain; died 1998 in Saint-Étienne (Loire).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Peter John Woodward

    Born 1924 in Great Britain; died 1995 in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc (Haute-Savoie).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 15 records for Woodward in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Woodward.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Woodward is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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