NameCensus.

UK surname

Wooden

An occupational surname for a carpenter or woodworker, or someone who lived near or worked in a wood.

In the 1881 census there were 194 people recorded with the Wooden surname, ranking it #13,097 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 264, ranked #16,172, down from #13,097 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Egham, Staines and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Havant, North Devon and Runnymede.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wooden is 325 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 36.1%.

1881 census count

194

Ranked #13,097

Modern count

264

2016, ranked #16,172

Peak year

1911

325 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wooden had 194 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,097 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 264 in 2016, ranked #16,172.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 325 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Wooden surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wooden surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wooden 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 181 #11,256
1861 historical 297 #8,508
1881 historical 194 #13,097
1891 historical 266 #12,169
1901 historical 311 #11,363
1911 historical 325 #10,783
1997 modern 295 #13,680
1998 modern 304 #13,773
1999 modern 292 #14,204
2000 modern 290 #14,237
2001 modern 293 #13,933
2002 modern 285 #14,483
2003 modern 276 #14,604
2004 modern 280 #14,530
2005 modern 263 #15,139
2006 modern 260 #15,329
2007 modern 270 #15,080
2008 modern 267 #15,349
2009 modern 268 #15,620
2010 modern 267 #16,029
2011 modern 257 #16,335
2012 modern 256 #16,253
2013 modern 256 #16,506
2014 modern 255 #16,682
2015 modern 257 #16,475
2016 modern 264 #16,172

Geography

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Where Woodens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Egham, Staines, London parishes, Portsmouth, Portsea and Great Yarmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Havant, North Devon, Runnymede, Waltham Forest and Tendring. 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 Egham Berkshire
2 Staines Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
3 London parishes London 2
4 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
5 Great Yarmouth Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Havant 013 Havant
2 North Devon 003 North Devon
3 Runnymede 003 Runnymede
4 Waltham Forest 001 Waltham Forest
5 Tendring 008 Tendring

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wooden

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wooden

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Wooden, 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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Wooden is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Wooden is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wooden 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 Wooden is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Wooden

The surname WOODEN is of English origin, and it is derived from the Old English word "wudu," meaning "wood" or "forest." The name likely originated in the Middle Ages and referred to someone who lived near a wooded area or worked with wood, such as a forester, woodcutter, or carpenter.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the WOODEN surname dates back to the 13th century in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, where a person named Roger Wodeman was mentioned in 1273. This early spelling variation, "Wodeman," further reinforces the connection between the surname and the Old English word "wudu."

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various records, including the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379, where a John Wodeman was listed. Other early spellings of the name included "Wodden," "Woden," and "Wodyn," which were likely influenced by regional dialects and scribal variations.

The WOODEN surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such person was John Wooden (1910-2010), an American basketball player and coach who is widely regarded as one of the greatest coaches in sports history. He led the UCLA Bruins to an unprecedented 10 NCAA national championships during his tenure as head coach from 1948 to 1975.

Another prominent figure with the WOODEN surname was Reverend John R. Wooden (1799-1868), an American missionary and educator who established several schools and churches in the Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma) in the mid-19th century.

In the literary world, the WOODEN surname gained recognition through the works of John Wooden Warter (1809-1881), an English author and journalist who wrote extensively on social and political issues of his time.

The WOODEN surname has also been associated with notable scientists and inventors. For example, William Wooden (1905-1989) was an American chemist and inventor who held over 60 patents, primarily related to the development of synthetic rubber and plastics.

Additionally, the WOODEN surname has been linked to various place names in England, such as Woodend in Gloucestershire and Woodham in Buckinghamshire, further reinforcing its connection to wooded areas and forests.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wooden families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wooden 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. Kent leads with 39 Woodens recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.95x.

County Total Index
Kent 39 5.95x
Middlesex 37 1.93x
Norfolk 34 11.51x
Sussex 17 5.25x
Staffordshire 16 2.47x
Hampshire 15 3.81x
Lancashire 10 0.44x
Suffolk 8 3.42x
Essex 7 1.85x
Surrey 5 0.53x
Cumberland 4 2.42x
Royal Navy 2 8.73x
Bedfordshire 1 1.01x
Lanarkshire 1 0.16x
Warwickshire 1 0.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Yarmouth in Norfolk leads with 34 Woodens recorded in 1881 and an index of 138.89x.

Place Total Index
Great Yarmouth 34 138.89x
Staines 28 921.05x
Tipton 12 60.42x
Ash Next Ridley 11 2619.05x
Portsea 11 14.25x
Lowestoft 8 72.33x
West Derby 8 11.99x
Minster In Sheppey 7 64.46x
Halling 6 697.67x
Mountfield 6 1463.41x
Snodland 6 322.58x
West Ham 6 7.16x
Cranbrook 4 143.88x
Greenwich 4 13.08x
Hastings St Mary In The 4 57.89x
Lambeth 4 2.39x
Rickergate 4 114.29x
St Giles In Fields 3 45.25x
Wolverhampton 3 6.01x
Heathfield 2 152.67x
Manchester 2 1.95x
Royal Navy 2 10.22x
Wartling 2 512.82x
Burham 1 109.89x
Carshalton 1 27.93x
Colchester St Mary At 1 74.63x
Deane 1 1000.00x
East Dean 1 434.78x
Edgbaston 1 6.65x
Farnborough 1 24.15x
Fulham London 1 3.59x
Glasgow 1 0.91x
Hackney London 1 0.93x
Hampstead London 1 3.34x
Handsworth 1 6.25x
Islington London 1 0.54x
Luton 1 5.80x
Norwood 1 22.78x
Portsmouth 1 11.03x
South Stoneham 1 11.71x
Subdeanery 1 40.65x
Twickenham 1 12.14x
Warbleton 1 103.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 10
Elizabeth 7
Sarah 7
Edith 6
Jane 5
Alice 4
Eliza 4
Harriet 4
Annie 3
Matilda 3
Ann 2
Anne 2
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Emma 2
Florence 2
Jessie 2
Jessy 2
Margaret 2
Ada 1
Amy 1
Bertha 1
Catherine 1
Christina 1
Clara 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Eva 1
Fanny 1
Flora 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Hannah 1
Harrett 1
Henrietta 1
Louisa 1
Marian 1
Martha 1
Phoeba 1
Phoebe 1
Rosa 1
Rose 1
Salley 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 13
James 8
Charles 6
John 6
George 5
Thomas 5
Albert 4
Edward 4
Benjamin 3
David 3
Richard 3
Walter 3
Geo. 2
Jos. 2
Joseph 2
Robert 2
Warren 2
Alfred 1
Augustus 1
Baby 1
Edmund 1
Francis 1
Fred. 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Hy. 1
Isaac 1
Jesse 1
Jessie 1
Jno. 1
Saml.T. 1
Samuel 1
Thos.W. 1
Willm.A. 1
Wm.H. 1
Wm.Isaac 1

FAQ

Wooden surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wooden surname in 1881?

In 1881, 194 people were recorded with the Wooden surname. That placed it at #13,097 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wooden surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 264 in 2016. That gives Wooden a modern rank of #16,172.

What does the Wooden surname mean?

An occupational surname for a carpenter or woodworker, or someone who lived near or worked in a wood.

What does the Wooden map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Wooden 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.