NameCensus.

UK surname

Woodbury

A locational surname referring to someone from any of the places named Woodbury, meaning "fortified place in a wood."

In the 1881 census there were 247 people recorded with the Woodbury surname, ranking it #11,173 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 154, ranked #23,293, down from #11,173 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Dulverton, Brompton Regis. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Taunton Deane, North Somerset and Bath and North East Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Woodbury is 305 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 37.7%.

1881 census count

247

Ranked #11,173

Modern count

154

2016, ranked #23,293

Peak year

1911

305 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Woodbury had 247 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,173 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 154 in 2016, ranked #23,293.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 305 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Woodbury surname distribution map

The map shows where the Woodbury surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Woodbury surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Woodbury over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 141 #13,507
1861 historical 251 #9,830
1881 historical 247 #11,173
1891 historical 249 #12,813
1901 historical 277 #12,281
1911 historical 305 #11,307
1997 modern 145 #21,571
1998 modern 155 #21,227
1999 modern 148 #22,020
2000 modern 149 #21,874
2001 modern 151 #21,375
2002 modern 157 #21,261
2003 modern 138 #22,823
2004 modern 145 #22,289
2005 modern 147 #22,057
2006 modern 153 #21,643
2007 modern 150 #22,212
2008 modern 152 #22,225
2009 modern 153 #22,611
2010 modern 162 #22,292
2011 modern 163 #21,983
2012 modern 156 #22,645
2013 modern 165 #22,163
2014 modern 159 #22,930
2015 modern 157 #22,997
2016 modern 154 #23,293

Geography

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Where Woodburys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Dulverton, Brompton Regis, Beaminster and Tiverton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Taunton Deane, North Somerset, Bath and North East Somerset and West Dorset. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Dulverton, Brompton Regis Devon
4 Beaminster Dorset
5 Tiverton Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Taunton Deane 013 Taunton Deane
2 North Somerset 024 North Somerset
3 Bath and North East Somerset 023 Bath and North East Somerset
4 West Dorset 003 West Dorset
5 Taunton Deane 012 Taunton Deane

Forenames

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First names often paired with Woodbury

These lists show first names that appear often with the Woodbury surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Woodbury

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Woodbury, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Woodbury surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Woodbury household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Woodbury is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Woodbury is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Woodbury falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Woodbury is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Woodbury, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Woodbury

The surname WOODBURY originated in England, with the earliest records dating back to the 11th century. It is derived from the Old English words "wudu" meaning wood and "bury" meaning a fortified town or manor. This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived in or near a wooded manor or town.

One of the earliest known references to the name WOODBURY appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry mentions a "Willelmus de Wudebury" who held lands in Gloucestershire.

During the medieval period, various spellings of the name were used, including Wodebury, Wodbury, and Woodbery. These variations reflect the evolution of the English language and the inconsistencies in spelling and record-keeping at the time.

In the 13th century, a prominent figure named William de Woodbury was recorded as the Lord of the Manor of Woodbury in Devon. This indicates that the name was associated with a specific location and could have been adopted by those residing in or near the manor.

Another noteworthy individual with the surname WOODBURY was Sir John Woodbury, who lived in the 15th century and served as a Member of Parliament for Herefordshire in 1472. He was also appointed as a Justice of the Peace for the county.

In the 16th century, a family of WOODBURY's held land and property in the village of Woodbury, near Exeter in Devon. One member of this family, John Woodbury, was born in 1540 and served as a local magistrate and landowner.

During the 17th century, the WOODBURY name gained prominence in the American colonies. One of the earliest settlers with this surname was John Woodbury, who arrived in Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1624. He later became a prominent figure in the colony and served as a magistrate and representative in the General Court.

Throughout the centuries, the WOODBURY surname has been carried by various individuals across different fields, including literature, politics, and military service. For instance, Isaac Woodbury (1784-1857) was an American poet and author, while Levi Woodbury (1789-1851) served as a United States Senator and Secretary of the Treasury under President Andrew Jackson.

These examples illustrate the rich history and origins of the surname WOODBURY, which can be traced back to medieval England and has since spread to various parts of the world, being borne by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Woodbury families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Woodbury surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Somerset leads with 98 Woodburys recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.64x.

County Total Index
Somerset 98 23.64x
Devon 52 9.70x
Gloucestershire 20 3.96x
Surrey 19 1.51x
Middlesex 18 0.70x
Channel Islands 16 20.97x
Dorset 15 8.88x
Yorkshire 7 0.27x
Lancashire 5 0.16x
Worcestershire 3 0.89x
Hampshire 2 0.38x
Kent 2 0.23x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.58x
Cheshire 1 0.18x
Essex 1 0.20x
Norfolk 1 0.25x
Royal Navy 1 3.26x
Suffolk 1 0.32x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wellington in Somerset leads with 26 Woodburys recorded in 1881 and an index of 462.63x.

Place Total Index
Wellington 26 462.63x
Tiverton 25 270.86x
Taunton St Mary 15 197.11x
St Sampson 14 406.98x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 10 21.03x
Croydon 10 14.36x
Spaxton 9 1111.11x
Wembdon 9 731.71x
Beaminster 8 425.53x
Ash Priors 7 3888.89x
Bristol St James St Paul 7 41.57x
Fiddington 7 3181.82x
Hockworthy 7 2592.59x
Huish Champflower 5 1562.50x
Brushford 4 1379.31x
Fordington 4 109.89x
Islington London 4 1.60x
Plymtree 4 1052.63x
Send Ripley 4 243.90x
South Petherton 4 186.92x
Ashbrittle 3 909.09x
Bethnal Green London 3 2.68x
Charminster 3 223.88x
Dulverton 3 247.93x
Gomersal 3 25.19x
Kings Norton 3 9.95x
Bradford 2 3.24x
Cheetham 2 8.78x
Chelsea London 2 2.58x
Deptford St Paul 2 2.95x
Exeter Holy Trinity 2 95.24x
Exeter St Leonard 2 136.05x
Hornsey 2 6.14x
Liverpool 2 1.08x
Paddington London 2 2.11x
Pitminster 2 163.93x
Radford 2 11.34x
St Helier 2 8.05x
St Marylebone London 2 1.45x
Stoke Damerel 2 5.33x
Tormoham 2 8.82x
Aldershot 1 5.66x
Blaxhall 1 222.22x
Bolton In Bradford 1 60.98x
Bristol St Peter 1 55.25x
Brompton Ralph 1 270.27x
Burnham 1 31.65x
Camberwell 1 0.61x
Clifton 1 3.92x
Cobham 1 48.54x
Colebrooke 1 161.29x
Hackney London 1 0.69x
Hardley 1 476.19x
Hursley 1 81.97x
Kensington London 1 0.70x
Kentisbeare 1 135.14x
Lambeth 1 0.45x
Leeds 1 0.69x
Little Meolse 1 123.46x
Manchester 1 0.73x
Morebath 1 256.41x
Moreton Hampstead 1 71.94x
Newington 1 1.05x
Prittlewell 1 14.20x
Rotherhithe 1 3.14x
Royal Navy 1 3.81x
South Molton 1 33.90x
St George Hanover 1 2.98x
Taunton St James 1 16.53x
Uffculme 1 62.50x
Uplowman 1 285.71x
Westbury On Trym 1 5.84x
Weston Super Mare 1 9.55x
Withycombe Rawleigh 1 35.84x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Woodbury surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Elizabeth 16
Eliza 14
Mary 14
Sarah 13
Ellen 7
Emma 6
Louisa 5
Rose 5
Jane 4
Alice 3
Ann 3
Bessie 3
Emily 3
Harriet 3
Annie 2
Charlotte 2
Eva 2
Julia 2
Maria 2
Matilda 2
Maud 2
Rosa 2
Susan 2
Avence 1
Catherine 1
Constance 1
Edith 1
Eliz.Ann 1
Elizth. 1
Elizth.A. 1
Ella 1
Fanny 1
Fayence 1
Florence 1
Francis 1
Georgina 1
Gimima 1
Hannah 1
Harriett 1
Hellen 1
Hermance 1
Jemina 1
Levina 1
Lucy 1
Marie 1
Mayence 1
P. 1
Phoebe 1
Rhoda 1
Valence 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Woodbury surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 26
John 15
Thomas 12
Henry 7
Samuel 7
Alfred 5
James 5
Charles 4
Walter 4
Edwin 3
Frederick 3
Robert 3
Arthur 2
Alford 1
Berte 1
Daniel 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Fredrick 1
George 1
Gilbert 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Isacc 1
Joseph 1
Mark 1
Richard 1
Sidney 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1
Wm.Bale 1

FAQ

Woodbury surname: questions and answers

How common was the Woodbury surname in 1881?

In 1881, 247 people were recorded with the Woodbury surname. That placed it at #11,173 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Woodbury surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 154 in 2016. That gives Woodbury a modern rank of #23,293.

What does the Woodbury surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from any of the places named Woodbury, meaning "fortified place in a wood."

What does the Woodbury map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Woodbury bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.