Find out how popular the last name Woodcox is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Woodcox.

Woodcox, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Woodcox surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Woodcox in America

Woodcox is the 29447th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Woodcox surname appeared 802 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Woodcox.

We can also compare 2010 data for Woodcox to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Woodcox

The surname Woodcox is of English origin, predominantly stemming from the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk during the late medieval period. This surname is likely an occupational or locative surname, derived from the Old English words “wudu” meaning wood and “cocc” which could mean a hill, a common variant of the Old English word for "rooster," an epithet for a lively or aggressive person. It is also possible that "cocc" could relate to a small hill or mound, but this usage is less common.

The surname Woodcox first appears in written records in the 14th century. One of the earliest examples is found in the Assize Rolls of Norfolk in 1273, where a John de Wudecocks is mentioned. This suggests an initial use as a locative name, indicating someone who lived near a notable wood or forested area. The Domesday Book does not reference Woodcox explicitly, but many village and family names related to woodland areas appear throughout the documented records, providing a contextual background for the name’s origin.

In 1327, in the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk, a Richard Wodecok was recorded, illustrating the natural evolution of the spelling. Different areas would have slight variations in spelling due to dialectical differences. By the 16th century, the name Woodcox had more or less standardized to its known form in various parish records and early printed documents.

Noteworthy figures bearing the surname Woodcox include Thomas Woodcox (b. 1584 - d. 1641), a noted landowner in Norfolk during the Elizabethan era. Another was Samuel Woodcox (b. 1642 - d. 1705), who played a role in the local governance of Suffolk. During the late 18th century, William Woodcox (b. 1762 - d. 1821) is documented as having served as a member of the town council of Norwich. The 19th century referenced John Woodcox (b. 1824 - d. 1896), a locally renowned farmer in rural Suffolk, known for his advancements in agricultural practices. Finally, in the mid-19th century, Elizabeth Woodcox (b. 1847 - d. 1910) gained recognition as a philanthropist within her community in Norfolk.

Place names such as Woodcock Grove in Norfolk and Woodcock Hill in Suffolk likely mirror the origins of the surname, blending the natural geographic features with the personal identification characteristic of early surnames. The significance of these names relates closely to the wooded and rural landscapes prevalent in these regions, further solidifying the locative origin of the surname Woodcox.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Woodcox

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Woodcox.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Woodcox was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Woodcox has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Woodcox was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Woodcox, please contact us.

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