NameCensus.

UK surname

Woodman

An occupational surname referring to a forest worker or someone who gathers or sells wood.

In the 1881 census there were 3,289 people recorded with the Woodman surname, ranking it #1,379 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,706, ranked #1,836, down from #1,379 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Bedminster and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Annan West, Chorley and Annan East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Woodman is 4,382 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 12.7%.

1881 census count

3,289

Ranked #1,379

Modern count

3,706

2016, ranked #1,836

Peak year

1911

4,382 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Woodman had 3,289 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,379 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,706 in 2016, ranked #1,836.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,382 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Woodman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Woodman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Woodman 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 2,524 #1,179
1861 historical 2,388 #1,231
1881 historical 3,289 #1,379
1891 historical 3,681 #1,300
1901 historical 3,874 #1,457
1911 historical 4,382 #1,177
1997 modern 3,722 #1,739
1998 modern 3,862 #1,748
1999 modern 3,899 #1,748
2000 modern 3,823 #1,764
2001 modern 3,716 #1,775
2002 modern 3,778 #1,795
2003 modern 3,683 #1,801
2004 modern 3,664 #1,806
2005 modern 3,578 #1,826
2006 modern 3,606 #1,807
2007 modern 3,594 #1,836
2008 modern 3,611 #1,832
2009 modern 3,709 #1,829
2010 modern 3,767 #1,847
2011 modern 3,740 #1,839
2012 modern 3,651 #1,848
2013 modern 3,690 #1,857
2014 modern 3,724 #1,855
2015 modern 3,694 #1,850
2016 modern 3,706 #1,836

Geography

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Where Woodmans are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Annan West, Chorley, Annan East, Eastriggs and South Kesteven. 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 Bedminster Somerset
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Pancras London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Annan West Dumfries and Galloway
2 Chorley 011 Chorley
3 Annan East Dumfries and Galloway
4 Eastriggs Dumfries and Galloway
5 South Kesteven 016 South Kesteven

Forenames

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First names often paired with Woodman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Woodman

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Woodman, 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 Woodman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Woodman 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Woodman is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Woodman is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Woodman falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Woodman 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 Woodman, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Woodman

The surname Woodman is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "wudu," meaning wood, and "mann," meaning man. It first emerged in the 12th century as an occupational surname, referring to someone who worked in the woods or forests, such as a woodcutter, forester, or charcoal maker.

The name has its roots in various areas of England, particularly in the counties of Kent, Sussex, and Essex, where there were large forests and a significant woodworking industry. It is believed that the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1195 and the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1216.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Simon le Wodeman, mentioned in the Curia Regis Rolls of Berkshire in 1205. Another notable early reference is in the Hundred Rolls of Buckinghamshire in 1273, which lists a certain William Wodeman.

The Woodman surname has undergone various spelling variations over the centuries, including Wodeman, Wodemon, and Wudeman, reflecting the changes in pronunciation and spelling conventions. Some early examples of place names associated with the surname include Woodmanstone in Surrey and Woodmancott in Hampshire.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Woodman. One of the earliest was John Woodman (c. 1330 - 1390), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the Chancellor of Oxford University in the late 14th century.

Another prominent figure was Richard Woodman (1528 - 1594), an English politician and Member of Parliament who served during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. In the 17th century, Thomas Woodman (1592 - 1677) was a Puritan minister and one of the founders of the town of Malden, Massachusetts, in the early colonial period of America.

During the 18th century, John Woodman (1717 - 1792) was a British naval officer who participated in several important battles, including the Battle of Quiberon Bay in 1759. In the 19th century, William Woodman (1839 - 1907) was an English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Woodman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Woodman 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. Middlesex leads with 658 Woodmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.04x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 658 2.04x
Surrey 370 2.35x
Gloucestershire 282 4.46x
Somerset 260 5.01x
Hampshire 212 3.21x
Devon 185 2.75x
Wiltshire 178 6.24x
Kent 167 1.52x
Northumberland 105 2.19x
Lancashire 93 0.24x
Sussex 78 1.43x
Warwickshire 62 0.76x
Glamorgan 57 1.01x
Durham 56 0.58x
Hertfordshire 51 2.29x
Yorkshire 48 0.15x
Cumberland 44 1.58x
Dorset 40 1.89x
Bedfordshire 34 2.03x
Essex 34 0.53x
Buckinghamshire 30 1.54x
Worcestershire 29 0.69x
Staffordshire 25 0.23x
Aberdeenshire 21 0.70x
Dumfriesshire 21 2.95x
Channel Islands 19 1.99x
Herefordshire 17 1.28x
Monmouthshire 17 0.73x
Oxfordshire 15 0.75x
Nottinghamshire 11 0.25x
Cornwall 10 0.27x
Cambridgeshire 9 0.44x
Berkshire 8 0.33x
Norfolk 7 0.14x
Northamptonshire 7 0.23x
Carmarthenshire 6 0.44x
Cheshire 6 0.08x
Derbyshire 6 0.12x
Lincolnshire 5 0.10x
Royal Navy 5 1.30x
Shropshire 5 0.18x
Leicestershire 4 0.11x
Brecknockshire 3 0.46x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.20x
Berwickshire 1 0.26x
Lanarkshire 1 0.01x
Perthshire 1 0.07x
Ross-shire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 63 Woodmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.24x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 63 2.24x
Islington London 62 1.98x
Kensington London 58 3.23x
Bedminster 51 10.45x
Portsea 51 3.93x
Camberwell 47 2.28x
Paddington London 47 3.96x
St Pancras London 47 1.81x
Ruislip 41 255.29x
St Marylebone London 40 2.32x
Aston 39 1.74x
Deptford St Paul 35 4.12x
Newington 33 2.77x
Walcot 30 10.84x
Alverstoke 29 12.11x
Battersea 29 2.44x
Hackney London 29 1.60x
Hammersmith London 27 3.40x
Tonbridge 27 6.80x
Bristol St George 26 8.88x
Mile End Old Town 25 4.91x
High Ham 24 193.86x
Taunton St Mary 24 25.17x
Haydon 23 87.59x
Burnham 22 55.56x
Annan 21 34.30x
Aylesbury 21 24.29x
Fulham London 21 4.49x
Leighton Buzzard 21 29.22x
Tiverton 21 18.15x
West Ham 21 1.49x
Horley 20 75.87x
Batheaston 19 106.86x
Bromley London 19 2.68x
Tring 19 32.00x
Wallsend 19 12.48x
Bishopwearmouth 18 2.18x
Brighton 18 1.64x
Southampton St Mary 18 4.33x
Longney 17 364.03x
Merthyr Tydfil 17 3.15x
Reigate Foreign 17 9.99x
Trowbridge 17 13.48x
Chelsea London 16 1.65x
Horsley 15 53.51x
Nettleton 15 334.82x
Tottenham 15 2.92x
Croydon 14 1.60x
Harefield 14 84.29x
Lancaster 14 6.14x
Lewisham 14 2.38x
Taunton St James 14 18.48x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 13 2.33x
Barnstaple 13 12.33x
Heysham 13 186.25x
Westbury On Severn East 13 9.09x
Westport St Mary 13 62.86x
Clapham 12 2.97x
Clerkenwell London 12 1.58x
Ealing 12 4.16x
Haworth 12 15.79x
Morchard Bishop 12 85.59x
Streatham 12 5.01x
Westbury On Trym 12 5.60x
Alston 11 21.48x
Bitton 11 19.97x
Cardiff St John 11 5.99x
Clifton 11 3.44x
Hartley Wintney 11 55.33x
Hemel Hempstead 11 10.98x
Little Somerford 11 261.90x
Plymouth St Andrew 11 2.13x
St George Hanover 11 2.61x
Westbury On Severn 11 43.88x
Bethnal Green London 10 0.71x
Greysouthen 10 130.89x
Hawkchurch 10 151.98x
South Stoneham 10 6.97x
Southwark Christchurch 10 6.61x
St Helier 10 3.21x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 218
Elizabeth 141
Sarah 87
Ellen 69
Annie 58
Eliza 55
Alice 53
Emma 52
Ann 45
Emily 43
Jane 43
Louisa 29
Maria 29
Charlotte 28
Harriet 26
Martha 26
Margaret 24
Florence 22
Ada 21
Caroline 20
Fanny 19
Hannah 19
Lucy 14
Edith 13
Kate 13
Matilda 13
Susan 13
Amy 12
Clara 12
Julia 12
Amelia 11
Anne 11
Laura 11
Minnie 11
Jessie 10
Rose 10
Anna 9
Harriett 9
Beatrice 8
Lydia 8
Rhoda 8
Bessie 7
Catherine 7
Esther 7
Frances 7
Ethel 6
Gertrude 6
Isabella 6
Mabel 6
Rosa 6

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 207
John 166
George 125
Henry 97
James 90
Thomas 86
Charles 69
Robert 52
Edward 38
Walter 37
Frederick 36
Joseph 34
Alfred 32
Arthur 29
Samuel 25
Harry 23
Richard 23
Albert 22
Frank 16
Edwin 15
Ernest 14
Francis 14
Herbert 12
David 11
Wm. 11
Isaac 10
Daniel 9
Fred 8
Benjamin 7
Philip 7
Fredrick 6
Thos. 6
Jesse 5
Stephen 5
Chas. 4
Leonard 4
Mark 4
Maurice 4
Tom 4
W. 4
Alexander 3
Cornelius 3
Jas. 3
Jonathan 3
Nicholas 3
Robt. 3
Rowland 3
Sydney 3
Veere 3
Lewis 2

FAQ

Woodman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Woodman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,289 people were recorded with the Woodman surname. That placed it at #1,379 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Woodman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,706 in 2016. That gives Woodman a modern rank of #1,836.

What does the Woodman surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a forest worker or someone who gathers or sells wood.

What does the Woodman map show?

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