Surname Woodie - Meaning and Origin
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Woodie: What does the surname Woodie mean?
The surname Woodie is derived from the Old English word "wudu" meaning "wood". This name has numerous variations such as Woodey, Woody, Woodi, Woodie, and Wooten. The name originally referred to someone who lived or worked in a wooded area or had a profession involving wood, like a carpenter or woodworker. It could also be a nickname describing someone who had worked in the forest and used wooden tools to make a living. Historically, the Woodie surname has been popular in England, Scotland, and Ireland.
The surname is still very common today, especially in English-speaking countries. A common nickname for this surname is Woody, as it captures the occupational aspect of the surname. The surname is also often used in hyphenated last names, such as Wood-Worthy or Wood-Cooper. Although very similar sounding surnames exist in other languages, the Woodie surname is only found in English-speaking countries.
In general, the surname Woodie conjures up images of a bygone era of hard-working craftsmen and independent woodsmen. It may have been an occupational name in the past, but today it primarily represents the families whose ancestors bore this surname with pride and remain proud of their heritage.
Order DNA origin analysisWoodie: Where does the name Woodie come from?
The last name Woodie is believed to be of English, Irish, or Scottish origin, derived from various words related to the making of wood-derived products, such as a cart- or wagon-maker or a wheelwright. It is still fairly popular today in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.
In England, Woodie is associated mainly with the Midlands. The name is found most frequently in Nottinghamshire, a county in central England. In the US, the surname is one of the more widely spread, being most popular in the Mid-Atlantic states, North Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky, and Maryland, though it can also be found strong populations in other states of the union. Similarly, the name is fairly widespread in Canada, being particularly popular in Manitoba, Ontario, and British Columbia.
Australia is said to have a concentration of the surname Woodie in the northern territories, especially in the state of Queensland. Residents of New Zealand's North Island, too, are likely to bear the surname. Finally, the name is prominent in South Africa, particularly in the Western Cape province.
Overall, it appears that the surname Woodie is still quite common today, although its popularity or concentration varies geographically.
Variations of the surname Woodie
The surname Woodie is an English and Scottish toponymic surname meaning 'wood'. Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin include: Wood, Woods, Woodman, Woodmancy, Woodwell, Wooddy, Woodye, Woodfine, Woodroof, Wooditch, Woodham, Woodhams, Woodd, Woodley and Woodrow.
Wood is the most common spelling variant and is derived from Old English meaning 'wood' in a topographical sense. It is first recorded in the Oxford Records of 1272 as Wooda de Brattlefore.
Woods is an alternative spelling for the Wood surname and is derived from the Old English ‘wudu’. Woods is most commonly found in southern England and Ireland, although is not overly common.
Woodman is believed to be an occupational surname for someone who worked in a wood or forest. It was first recorded in 1208 in County Durham records as ‘John le Wodeman’.
Woodmancy is a surname derived from the Latin ‘woodmancia’, which translates to ‘woodcraft’. It is believed to have been a nickname for someone who was skilled in woodworking.
Woodwell was an English surname derived from the Old English ‘wudu’ and ‘wella’, meaning ‘wood’ and ‘stream’ respectively. The surname is believed to have been applied to someone living by a stream in a wooded area.
Wooddy and Woodye are alternative spellings of the Woodie surname. Both are derived from Old English, with ‘Wooddy’ meaning ‘wood’ and ‘Woodye’ meaning ‘forest’.
Woodfine is an English surname of toponymic origin derived from the Old English ‘wood feen’ meaning ‘wooded area’.
Woodroof is an occupational surname for someone who made thatched or wooden roofs. It is derived from the Old English ‘wood’ and ‘roof’.
Wooditch is an English locational surname derived from a ‘lost’ village called Wodeheved, which is now a hamlet located in the Alvaston area of Derbyshire.
Woodham and Woodhams are locational surnames, derived from the Old English ‘wood’ and ‘ham’ meaning ‘wood homestead’. It is most commonly found in southern England.
Woodd is an alternative spelling of the Woodie surname derived from the Old English ‘wood’.
Woodley is an Old English locational surname derived from a village named Woodley, which is located east of Manchester in the county of Greater Manchester.
Woodrow is a Scottish toponymic surname derived from the Old English 'wudu'and 'hrae' meaning 'wood' and 'row', respectively. It is believed to have been applied to someone living by a row of trees.
Famous people with the name Woodie
- Woody Woodpecker: the famous animated character created by Walter Lantz in 1940
- Woody Allen: actor, director, and writer
- Woody Harrelson: actor
- Jason Woodie: professional Major League Baseball player
- Chris Woodie: professional hockey player
- June Woodie: American singer, songwriter and actress
- Moses Woodie: popular American actor, director, and playwright
- Morgan Woodie: Former Major League Baseball pitcher
- Oscar Woodie: American football player
- Eric Woodie: Former Major League Baseball pitcher