Explore the Family Name Woodward
The meaning of Woodward
English: occupational name for a forester employed to look after the trees and game in a forest, Middle English woodward (from Old English wudu ‘wood’ + weard ‘guardian, protector’). History: Henry Woodward emigrated from England in 1635 and settled first in Dorchester, MA, and subsequently in Northampton, MA. He had many prominent descendants. Another Henry Woodward, born c.1646 in the British West Indies, was the first English settler in SC (1664).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Woodward in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Woodward has seen a slight decline in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, Woodward was ranked 875th most common surname and this dropped to 944th in 2010, indicating a 7.89% decrease in ranking. However, the actual count of people with the Woodward surname increased by 1.44%, from 36,242 in 2000 to 36,764 in 2010. The proportion of Woodwards per 100,000 people slightly decreased from 13.43 in 2000 to 12.46 in 2010, a -7.22% change.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #875 | #944 | -7.89% |
| Count | 36,242 | 36,764 | 1.44% |
| Proportion per 100k | 13.43 | 12.46 | -7.22% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Woodward
The ethnic identity associated with the Woodward surname also saw some changes from 2000 to 2010, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. White individuals constituted the majority of Woodward bearers, but their percentage dropped slightly from 91.25% to 89.74%. The Hispanic representation among Woodwards saw the most significant growth, increasing by 58.39% from 1.49% to 2.36%. The percentage of those identifying as Two or more races and American Indian and Alaskan Native also rose significantly by 26.76% and 25.93% respectively. Meanwhile, the representation of Asian/Pacific Islander and Black individuals within the Woodward surname bearers slightly increased.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 91.25% | 89.74% | -1.65% |
| Black | 4.72% | 4.8% | 1.69% |
| Hispanic | 1.49% | 2.36% | 58.39% |
| Two or More Races | 1.42% | 1.8% | 26.76% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.54% | 0.68% | 25.93% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.59% | 0.62% | 5.08% |
Woodward 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 Woodward is British & Irish, which comprises 57.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (22.9%) 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 | 57.7% |
| French & German | 22.9% |
| Scandinavian | 3.8% |
| Other | 15.6% |
Possible origins of the surname Woodward
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 Woodward have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 90.40% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 90.30% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 90.20% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 90.10% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 90.10% |
What Woodward 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 Woodward is I-P109, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup I-P109 is descended from haplogroup I-M170. Other common haplogroups include I-Z58 and R-Z11, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Rasmussen, Christensen, Nielsen, Hansen, Larsen, Woodard, Swanson, Petersen, Jensen, Olsen.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Woodward surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins I-M170
Your paternal lineage may be linked to many northern European men
If you have haplogroup I1a1b, your paternal line stems from a young branch of I-M253 called I-L22, which likely arose in the last 3,000 years. I-L22 is most common in Northern Europe, but a recent study found that this haplogroup was present in a significant portion of the Partecipanza population living in San Giovanni in Persiceto, Italy. The area of San Giovanni in Persiceto was involved in a migration period in 728 AD, when it became part of the Lombard kingdom, under King Aistulf. San Giovanni in Persiceto was only under Lombard rule for 48 years, after which the Lombards were defeated by King Charlemagne in 776 AD. There are several characteristics of San Giovanni in Persiceto that link it to other Lombard settlements. For instance, some research suggests San Giovanni in Persiceto was the seat of a Lombard Duke between 750 and 800 AD. It is possible that the Lombards who ruled over San Giovanni in Persiceto played an important role in the introduction and growth of haplogroup I-L22 in the region.
Your 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 Woodward 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.
"Woodward" Surname 46.5%
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.
"Woodward" Surname 29.5%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Woodward" Surname 20.5%
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.
"Woodward" Surname 20.0%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Woodward?
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 Woodward are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition