Explore the Family Name Wood
The meaning of Wood
1. English: mainly a topographic name for someone who lived in or by a wood, from Middle English wode ‘wood’ (Old English wudu). In North America, the English form of the surname has absorbed cognates from other languages, such as French Bois and Dubois and Polish Les. 2. English: in a few cases, a nickname for an eccentric or perhaps a violent person, from Middle English wode ‘frenzied, wild’ (Old English wōd). 3. In some cases also an Americanized form of French Gadbois and Houde. History: Some of the American bearers of the surname Wood are descendants of Louis Houde from France (see Houde). The change of spelling occured because of the similar pronunciation of the surnames Houde and Wood.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Wood in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Wood experienced some changes in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In the year 2000, it was ranked 75th, but by 2010, it had dropped to the 84th position, a decrease of 12 percent. Nevertheless, the number of people with the Wood surname increased slightly during this period, from 247,299 to 250,715 which represents an increase of 1.38 percent. However, its proportion per 100,000 people declined from 91.67 to 84.99, a 7.29 percent decrease.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #75 | #84 | -12% |
| Count | 247,299 | 250,715 | 1.38% |
| Proportion per 100k | 91.67 | 84.99 | -7.29% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Wood
The census data also provides insight into the ethnic identity associated with the surname Wood. In 2000, a vast majority of individuals with the Wood surname identified as White (90.06 percent), followed by Black (5.61 percent). By 2010, however, there were some notable shifts. Although still predominant, the proportion of Whites decreased to 88.72 percent. The Hispanic population saw the most significant increase, rising by 51.25 percent to constitute 2.42 percent of the total. Those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander or of two or more races also saw increases, to 0.66 and 1.79 percent respectively. The proportion of those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native remained relatively stable, while the percentage of those who identified as Black saw a slight decrease to 5.57 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 90.06% | 88.72% | -1.49% |
| Black | 5.61% | 5.57% | -0.71% |
| Hispanic | 1.6% | 2.42% | 51.25% |
| Two or More Races | 1.4% | 1.79% | 27.86% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.82% | 0.84% | 2.44% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.51% | 0.66% | 29.41% |
Wood ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Wood is British & Irish, which comprises 57.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (22.7%) and Scandinavian (3.8%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 57.5% |
| French & German | 22.7% |
| Scandinavian | 3.8% |
| Other | 16.1% |
Possible origins of the surname Wood
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Wood have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 91.10% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 91.10% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 91.10% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 90.80% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 90.80% |
What Wood haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Wood is R-L20, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-L20 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include I-Z58 and R-P311, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Baker, Taylor, White, Smith, Green, Carter, Wilson, Thompson, Young, Reynolds.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Wood surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Wood have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Wood" Surname 43.8%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Wood" Surname 26.6%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Wood" Surname 23.1%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Wood" Surname 18.3%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Wood?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Wood are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition