NameCensus.

UK surname

Woodhall

An English locational surname denoting a person from any place called "Woodhall".

In the 1881 census there were 1,205 people recorded with the Woodhall surname, ranking it #3,350 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,577, ranked #3,936, down from #3,350 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Tipton otherwise Tibington, Rowley Regis and Dudley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnsley, Sandwell and South Derbyshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Woodhall is 1,669 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 30.9%.

1881 census count

1,205

Ranked #3,350

Modern count

1,577

2016, ranked #3,936

Peak year

1911

1,669 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Woodhall had 1,205 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,350 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,577 in 2016, ranked #3,936.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,669 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Woodhall surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Woodhall surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Woodhall 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 580 #4,396
1861 historical 812 #3,388
1881 historical 1,205 #3,350
1891 historical 1,292 #3,349
1901 historical 1,539 #3,346
1911 historical 1,669 #2,925
1997 modern 1,626 #3,643
1998 modern 1,651 #3,731
1999 modern 1,656 #3,749
2000 modern 1,666 #3,700
2001 modern 1,639 #3,691
2002 modern 1,662 #3,714
2003 modern 1,615 #3,734
2004 modern 1,615 #3,741
2005 modern 1,605 #3,728
2006 modern 1,592 #3,754
2007 modern 1,601 #3,769
2008 modern 1,605 #3,783
2009 modern 1,618 #3,844
2010 modern 1,657 #3,845
2011 modern 1,659 #3,801
2012 modern 1,589 #3,870
2013 modern 1,635 #3,844
2014 modern 1,639 #3,863
2015 modern 1,611 #3,881
2016 modern 1,577 #3,936

Geography

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Where Woodhalls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Tipton otherwise Tibington, Rowley Regis, Dudley, Wednesbury and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barnsley, Sandwell and South Derbyshire. 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 Tipton otherwise Tibington Staffordshire
2 Rowley Regis Staffordshire
3 Dudley Staffordshire
4 Wednesbury Staffordshire
5 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barnsley 006 Barnsley
2 Barnsley 021 Barnsley
3 Sandwell 039 Sandwell
4 South Derbyshire 001 South Derbyshire
5 Sandwell 013 Sandwell

Forenames

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First names often paired with Woodhall

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Woodhall

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Woodhall surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Woodhall household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Woodhall is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Woodhall 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

Woodhall falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Woodhall is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Woodhall

The surname Woodhall originates from England, with its roots tracing back to the Medieval period. It is a topographic surname, which means it is derived from a geographical feature near the residence of the first bearers. Specifically, Woodhall comes from the Old English words "wudu," meaning wood, and "heall," meaning hall or large house. The name would have been given to individuals who lived near or were associated with a significant hall located in a wooded area.

Woodhall is primarily associated with regions in Northern England, including Yorkshire and Lancashire, where remnants of the name and related historical settlements can still be found. Variants of the name, like Wodehall or Wodhall, appear in early records and reflect the linguistic evolutions of the English language over centuries.

The Domesday Book of 1086, commissioned by William the Conqueror, provides early references to places named Woodhall or similar variations, though specific records of individuals with the surname are scarce in this period. One of the first recorded instances of the surname Woodhall appears in the Yorkshire Poll Tax of 1379, listing a Richard de Wodehall. This indicates that the name was well established in the region by the Late Middle Ages.

An early bearer of the surname was Thomas Woodhall, born around 1450, who was noted for his involvement in local governance in the region of Yorkshire. Another significant individual was John Woodhall, a notable landowner born circa 1490, who held estates in Lancashire and contributed to local economic developments.

Sir Basil Woodhall, born in 1523, was a significant figure who expanded his family's influence through his knighthood and service to the crown. His contributions to regional politics and land management were well documented in the annals of the Tudor period.

Moving into the 17th century, Samuel Woodhall, born in 1610, was a distinguished scholar and clergyman. His writings, which included theological treatises and local histories, gained him a moderate level of fame in academic circles.

Lastly, Lady Eliza Woodhall, born in 1835, was a prominent socialite and philanthropist based in London. Known for her charitable works and patronage of the arts, she significantly influenced the social developments of her time.

Throughout history, individuals bearing the surname Woodhall have contributed to various fields, from governance and land management to academia and philanthropy, reflecting the breadth and depth of the name's historical significance.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Woodhall families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Woodhall 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. Staffordshire leads with 317 Woodhalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.97x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 317 7.97x
Yorkshire 188 1.61x
Lancashire 148 1.06x
Warwickshire 110 3.70x
Middlesex 71 0.60x
Durham 61 1.74x
Worcestershire 48 3.12x
Cheshire 47 1.81x
Lincolnshire 39 2.07x
Shropshire 33 3.24x
Cumberland 23 2.27x
Surrey 17 0.30x
Northamptonshire 15 1.35x
Herefordshire 11 2.28x
Gloucestershire 10 0.43x
Denbighshire 8 1.80x
Kent 8 0.20x
Derbyshire 7 0.38x
Essex 7 0.30x
Somerset 7 0.37x
Flintshire 6 1.89x
Merionethshire 6 2.78x
Monmouthshire 6 0.70x
Glamorgan 4 0.19x
Leicestershire 3 0.23x
Montgomeryshire 2 0.74x
Royal Navy 2 1.42x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.14x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.13x
Dorset 1 0.13x
Sussex 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. West Bromwich in Staffordshire leads with 127 Woodhalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 55.77x.

Place Total Index
West Bromwich 127 55.77x
Aston 66 8.07x
Tipton 61 50.08x
Birmingham 37 3.74x
Wednesbury 34 34.20x
Rowley Regis 30 27.06x
Dudley 19 10.16x
Whitchurch 18 91.09x
Stockley 17 382.88x
Altrincham 16 35.20x
Brightside Bierlow 16 6.99x
New Village 16 457.14x
Toxteth Park 14 2.96x
Gorton 13 9.89x
Hulme 13 4.45x
Kingswinford 13 9.00x
Penrith 13 34.69x
Poplar London 13 5.85x
Sedgley 13 8.80x
Lambeth 12 1.17x
Oldbury 12 15.85x
Stanhope 12 33.15x
Elland Cum Greetland 10 19.01x
Handsworth 10 10.20x
Salford 10 2.43x
Crook Billy Row 9 20.04x
Ellesmere 9 51.49x
Finchley 9 19.92x
Harborne 9 7.06x
Manchester 9 1.43x
Stamford Baron St Martin 9 151.52x
Bromsgrove 8 15.45x
Brotherton 8 170.94x
Carlton In Selby 8 265.78x
Knapton 8 563.38x
Seaton Carew 8 113.48x
St Nicholas Lincoln 8 44.42x
Astley 7 64.87x
Bedminster 7 3.93x
Bromley London 7 2.70x
Burland 7 264.15x
Camblesforth 7 619.47x
Kirkdale 7 2.98x
Manningham 7 4.87x
Purston Jaglin 7 245.61x
St Giles In Fields 7 17.22x
West Ham 7 1.36x
Worsbrough 7 20.46x
Chilton 6 54.84x
Corwen 6 110.50x
Feckenham 6 34.07x
Hereford St Nicholas 6 91.32x
Hindley 6 10.06x
Llanvair Discoed 6 779.22x
Newton 6 5.57x
Peterborough 6 7.48x
Thirsk 6 44.54x
Westminster St James 6 4.95x
Wigan 6 3.07x
Workington 6 10.33x
Amblecote 5 44.09x
Chorley 5 6.37x
Full Sutton 5 961.54x
Gainsborough 5 11.26x
Hedleyhope 5 82.37x
Liverpool 5 0.59x
Nettleham 5 129.53x
Stockport 5 3.74x
Tewkesbury 5 24.25x
Wootton Wawen 5 53.42x
Aberdare 4 2.84x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 4 1.84x
Droylsden 4 8.77x
Friern Barnet 4 15.41x
Melmerby 4 347.83x
Newcastle Under Lyme 4 5.68x
Newchurch 4 3.50x
Ripon 4 14.77x
Waddington 4 116.28x
Wistow 4 129.03x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 84
Elizabeth 60
Sarah 49
Jane 26
Ann 25
Annie 25
Hannah 24
Eliza 20
Alice 16
Emma 13
Maria 13
Harriet 11
Emily 10
Ellen 9
Martha 9
Ada 7
Louisa 7
Lucy 7
Rebecca 6
Catherine 5
Edith 5
Isabella 5
Margaret 5
Matilda 5
Anne 4
Fanny 4
Florence 4
Lizzie 4
Amy 3
Charlotte 3
Frances 3
Agnes 2
Amelia 2
Bertha 2
Betsy 2
Elizth.Sarah 2
Emely 2
Esther 2
Jemima 2
Jessie 2
Julia 2
Kate 2
Lavinia 2
Lilly 2
Lydia 2
Marth 2
Nellie 2
Phillis 2
Phoebe 2
Priscilla 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 76
William 75
Thomas 62
George 44
Joseph 42
James 27
Samuel 19
Edward 18
Alfred 17
Charles 17
Henry 17
Robert 16
Arthur 12
Frederick 11
Walter 9
Harry 7
Richard 7
Solomon 7
Edwin 6
Albert 5
Ernest 5
Peter 5
Daniel 4
David 4
Isaac 4
Abraham 3
Benjamin 3
Herbert 3
Paul 3
Alexander 2
Ambrose 2
Felix 2
Fred 2
Jonathan 2
Laurence 2
Matthew 2
Percival 2
Sydney 2
Thos. 2
Timothy 2
Warwick 2
Ashworth 1
Bertie 1
Byron 1
Dennis 1
E. 1
Edwd. 1
Eglon 1
Harrison 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Woodhall surname: questions and answers

How common was the Woodhall surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,205 people were recorded with the Woodhall surname. That placed it at #3,350 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Woodhall surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,577 in 2016. That gives Woodhall a modern rank of #3,936.

What does the Woodhall surname mean?

An English locational surname denoting a person from any place called "Woodhall".

What does the Woodhall map show?

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