Derwood
From an English place name meaning "dearwood" or "beloved woods".
Name Census estimates that about 332 living Americans carry the first name Derwood. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Derwood today is around 74 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Derwood births was 1919 (34 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Derwood. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Derwood is about 74 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Derwoods were born before 1962.
People living today
332
~ 1 in 1,032,393 Americans
Peak year
1919
34 babies that year
Average age
74
years old
1976 SSA rank
#5,816
Tracked since 1912
Popularity
Derwood: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Derwood from the 1910s through to the 1970s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 263 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Derwood by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Derwood during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Derwoods live
The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. Texas, Pennsylvania, Virginia recorded the most babies named Derwood, while North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 17 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Derwood
The given name Derwood is believed to have originated in England during the Middle Ages, likely derived from the Old English words "deor" meaning "deer" and "wudu" meaning "wood." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near or worked in a wooded area frequented by deer.
During the medieval period, Derwood was a relatively uncommon name, primarily found in rural areas of southern and central England. It was often associated with families involved in forestry, hunting, or other occupations related to the woodlands.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Derwood can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which documented a landowner named Derwood of Wessex. This suggests that the name had already gained some recognition among the English nobility by the late 11th century.
In the 13th century, a Benedictine monk named Derwood of Canterbury gained prominence for his scholarly works on theology and philosophy. His writings were widely circulated throughout Europe and helped to establish the name's association with intellectual pursuits.
During the Renaissance period, a notable figure named Derwood Blackwood (1521-1588) was a renowned playwright and poet in Elizabethan England. His works often explored themes of nature and the human connection to the natural world, reflecting the meaning of his given name.
In the 18th century, Derwood Fairfax (1725-1793) was a British military officer who served in the American Revolutionary War. He is remembered for his leadership and bravery in several key battles against the colonial forces.
Another notable bearer of the name was Derwood Harrington (1865-1941), a prominent English architect who designed numerous public buildings and private residences in the Arts and Crafts style, which drew inspiration from natural forms and materials.
While the name Derwood has remained relatively rare throughout history, it has maintained a consistent presence in various parts of England and has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, reflecting its connection to the natural world and the enduring appeal of its evocative meaning.
People
Derwood + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Derwood as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with D
Other first names starting with D with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Derwood: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Derwood?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 332 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Derwood going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,032,393 US residents.
Is Derwood a common name?
We classify Derwood as "Very Rare". It ranks above 80.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,021 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Derwood most popular?
The single biggest year for Derwood was 1919, when 34 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Derwood is about 74 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Derwood a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Derwood in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.