Explore the Family Name Southwood
The meaning of Southwood
English: 1. habitational name from one or more of several places in southern England, especially in Devon, named with Middle English bi southe wode ‘(place) to the south of the wood’. 2. habitational name from one or more minor places called Southwood or Sowood, from Middle English south(e) + wode ‘south wood’. Sowood in Osset (Yorkshire) is the most likely source of the Yorkshire name. There may have been confusion with Southworth.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Southwood in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the Southwood surname has seen a mild fluctuation in its popularity within the United States. In 2000, it ranked 25,123 and increased slightly to a position of 25,751 by 2010, marking a small drop of 2.5 percent. The overall count of individuals bearing this name also rose marginally from 926 in 2000 to 957 in 2010, indicating a growth rate of 3.35 percent. However, when viewing the proportion per 100k people, the prevalence of the Southwood surname fell by 5.88 percent over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #25,123 | #25,751 | -2.5% |
| Count | 926 | 957 | 3.35% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.34 | 0.32 | -5.88% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Southwood
The ethnic identity associated with the Southwood surname is predominantly White, as shown by the Decennial U.S. Census data. This group accounted for 90.39 percent in 2000 and saw a slight decrease to 90.18 percent in 2010. People identifying as Hispanic made up the second largest percentage, rising slightly from 2.27 percent to 2.40 percent. Those claiming both Black and two or more races identities experienced declines between 2000 and 2010, with the former dropping significantly by 16.05 percent. It's noteworthy that there were no recorded individuals of Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native ethnicity linked to the Southwood surname in either census year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 90.39% | 90.18% | -0.23% |
| Two or More Races | 3.46% | 3.34% | -3.47% |
| Black | 3.24% | 2.72% | -16.05% |
| Hispanic | 2.27% | 2.4% | 5.73% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.65% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |