NameCensus.

UK surname

Woodyard

An occupational surname referring to someone who worked in or managed a wood storage area or lumberyard.

In the 1881 census there were 166 people recorded with the Woodyard surname, ranking it #14,496 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 122, ranked #27,255, down from #14,496 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Leonard Shoreditch, Topcroft and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Maldon, Chelmsford and Bromley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Woodyard is 166 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 26.5%.

1881 census count

166

Ranked #14,496

Modern count

122

2016, ranked #27,255

Peak year

1881

166 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Woodyard had 166 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,496 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 122 in 2016, ranked #27,255.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 166 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Woodyard surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Woodyard surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Woodyard 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 124 #14,792
1861 historical 138 #16,365
1881 historical 166 #14,496
1891 historical 155 #17,920
1901 historical 151 #17,988
1911 historical 149 #17,937
1997 modern 126 #23,461
1998 modern 136 #23,013
1999 modern 129 #23,907
2000 modern 131 #23,672
2001 modern 135 #22,945
2002 modern 139 #22,991
2003 modern 134 #23,260
2004 modern 133 #23,528
2005 modern 122 #24,817
2006 modern 122 #25,010
2007 modern 125 #24,987
2008 modern 114 #26,796
2009 modern 123 #26,098
2010 modern 125 #26,448
2011 modern 115 #27,634
2012 modern 128 #25,852
2013 modern 125 #26,695
2014 modern 124 #27,049
2015 modern 123 #27,088
2016 modern 122 #27,255

Geography

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Where Woodyards are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Leonard Shoreditch, Topcroft, London parishes, Weybourne and Halesworth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Maldon, Chelmsford, Bromley, Braintree and Dartford. 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 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
2 Topcroft Norfolk
3 London parishes London 3
4 Weybourne Norfolk
5 Halesworth Suffolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Maldon 004 Maldon
2 Chelmsford 017 Chelmsford
3 Bromley 006 Bromley
4 Braintree 001 Braintree
5 Dartford 003 Dartford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Woodyard

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Woodyard

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Suburban Professionals

Nationally, the Woodyard surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Woodyard household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Woodyard is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Woodyard 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

Woodyard falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Woodyard is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Woodyard

The surname WOODYARD is believed to have originated in England, tracing its roots back to the medieval era. It is a locational name, derived from the Old English words "wudu" meaning wood and "geard" meaning yard or enclosure, referring to someone who lived near or worked in a wooded area or a yard surrounded by trees.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name WOODYARD can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, dated around 1230, where a certain Robert de Woodyard is mentioned as a landowner. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the northern counties of England by the 13th century.

The WOODYARD surname is also found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, dated 1327, which lists a John Woodyard among the taxpayers of the county. This indicates the name's presence in the West Midlands region during the early 14th century.

In the Domesday Book, a prestigious survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, there are no direct references to the surname WOODYARD. However, the book does mention several places with similar names, such as Woodgarston in Berkshire and Woodgarth in Yorkshire, suggesting the existence of these locational names at the time.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname WOODYARD was William Woodyard, who was born in Cheshire, England, around 1520. He is mentioned in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Chester, where he served as a church warden in the mid-16th century.

Another notable WOODYARD was John Woodyard, a merchant and alderman who lived in the city of Bristol in the late 16th century. He is recorded as having been involved in the city's thriving trade with the American colonies.

In the 17th century, the WOODYARD surname can be found in the records of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, where a family of that name settled in the town of Ipswich. Thomas Woodyard, born around 1620 in England, was one of the earliest settlers with this surname in the American colonies.

A prominent figure from the 18th century was Edward Woodyard, a successful businessman and landowner from Yorkshire, England. Born in 1725, he is known for his philanthropic efforts, including the establishment of a school for underprivileged children in his hometown.

Moving into the 19th century, we find the WOODYARD surname associated with the arts. Emily Woodyard, born in 1845 in Gloucestershire, England, was a celebrated painter and illustrator during the Victorian era, known for her exquisite watercolor landscapes and botanical studies.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Woodyard families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Woodyard 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. Essex leads with 41 Woodyards recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.83x.

County Total Index
Essex 41 12.83x
Suffolk 37 18.76x
Middlesex 34 2.10x
Norfolk 26 10.44x
Surrey 13 1.65x
Durham 6 1.25x
Lancashire 2 0.10x
Cornwall 1 0.55x
Glamorgan 1 0.35x
Hampshire 1 0.30x
Kent 1 0.18x
Leicestershire 1 0.56x
Warwickshire 1 0.24x
Yorkshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Halesworth in Suffolk leads with 17 Woodyards recorded in 1881 and an index of 1214.29x.

Place Total Index
Halesworth 17 1214.29x
Shoreditch London 16 22.79x
Bradwell 15 2727.27x
Chelmsford 12 218.98x
Lambeth 8 5.67x
Weybourne 8 6153.85x
Ipswich St Clement 7 139.72x
Topcroft 7 3500.00x
Edgefield 6 2222.22x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 6 28.75x
Ridgwell 6 1666.67x
Bromley London 4 11.23x
Chertsey 4 78.43x
Maldon St Marys 4 519.48x
Bethnal Green London 3 4.26x
Ipswich St Helen 3 128.21x
Mile End Old Town 3 11.74x
Southminster 3 428.57x
Accrington 2 11.45x
Aldringham 2 714.29x
Blythburgh 2 434.78x
Hardwick 2 1818.18x
Ipswich St Margaret 2 29.90x
Paddington London 2 3.36x
Willesden 2 13.11x
Appleby 1 238.10x
Berkswell 1 123.46x
Bow London 1 4.85x
Gelligaer 1 15.53x
Henham 1 1250.00x
Heston 1 18.59x
Huntingfield 1 500.00x
Ipswich St Mathew 1 18.08x
Keighley 1 5.85x
Lewisham 1 3.39x
Little Linstead 1 1111.11x
Malden 1 476.19x
Maldon All Sts 1 158.73x
Norwich St Peter Mancroft 1 80.00x
Pinner 1 70.42x
Portsea 1 1.54x
St Blazey 1 62.11x
Thorpe Next Norwich 1 37.88x
Trowse Cum Newton 1 161.29x
Westminster St James 1 6.01x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Jane 7
Elizabeth 6
Emma 6
Sarah 5
Alice 3
Florence 3
Louisa 3
Ann 2
Annie 2
Edith 2
Eliza 2
Fanny 2
Jessie 2
Lizzie 2
Lucy 2
Martha 2
Matilda 2
Agnes 1
Anna 1
Bertha 1
Caroline 1
Charlotte 1
Dinah 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Georganna 1
Gertrude 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Isabel 1
Kate 1
Lilian 1
Lydia 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Marianne 1
Phebe 1
Rebacca 1
Rose 1
Ruth 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 7
William 7
Henry 6
John 6
Charles 5
Frederick 4
Harry 4
Joseph 4
Thomas 3
Edward 2
George 2
Herbert 2
Reuben 2
Robert 2
Walter 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Archibald 1
Arthur 1
Cornelius 1
Edgar 1
Frederic 1
Horace 1
Jams 1
Jonas 1
Jonathan 1
Richard 1
Richd. 1
Samuel 1
Sandford 1
Thos. 1
Willm. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Woodyard surname: questions and answers

How common was the Woodyard surname in 1881?

In 1881, 166 people were recorded with the Woodyard surname. That placed it at #14,496 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Woodyard surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 122 in 2016. That gives Woodyard a modern rank of #27,255.

What does the Woodyard surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to someone who worked in or managed a wood storage area or lumberyard.

What does the Woodyard map show?

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