2000
#128,797
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Wooddy
A surname derived from Old English "wudu", meaning a woodland or forest.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 125 Americans carry the last name Wooddy. That puts it at #150,205 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,742,035 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wooddy surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
125
1 in 2,742,035
Census rank
#150,205
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
109
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 109 bearers of the surname Wooddy in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150205th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wooddy, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wooddy
The surname Wooddy originates from England, likely emerging around the medieval period. Geographically, its roots can be traced to the heavily forested regions of the country, such as the counties of Sussex, Kent, and Surrey. The name is derived from the Old English words "wudu," meaning "wood" or "forest," and the suffix "y," which often denoted a character or object related to the base word. Over time, variations in spelling were common due to regional dialects and the phonetic transcription practices of the era.
The name Wooddy may appear in historical records such as the Domesday Book, albeit under different spellings, reflecting the fluid nature of language and record-keeping of the time. Early mentions of the name include various faith-related documents and land grants, where the name appears in its myriad forms. By the 13th and 14th centuries, slightly varied versions of the name like Woody or Woodye could be found in local parish registers, indicating the name's distribution among common folk and minor landowners.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Wooddy is in the 1296 Sussex Subsidy Rolls, where Richard de la Wodeghye is mentioned. This particular record illustrates the linkage between family names and geographical locations. Helen Wooddy, born in 1656, is another notable figure referenced in parish records from Yorkshire, suggesting a spread to northern regions. These early records indicate that the Wooddy family was likely involved in agrarian or forest-related occupations, consistent with the name's origin.
George Wooddy, born in 1763, was a landowner in Surrey, noted in estate records and local histories. His involvement in the local economy and the community's development hints at the family's growing status over the centuries. Meanwhile, William Wooddy, who lived during the mid-1700s, was recorded as a witness to various wills and legal documents in Kent, further testifying to the name's standing in provincial society.
In the 19th century, John Wooddy, born in 1825, gained prominence as a businessman in London, contributing to the industrial era's economic landscape. His achievements in commerce underline the continuing evolution and upward mobility of those bearing the surname. Finally, Elizabeth Wooddy, a well-documented suffragette born in 1867, played a significant role in advocating for women's rights in early 20th century England, showcasing the diverse paths taken by individuals with this surname.
From its roots in medieval England to its presence in various historical documents, the surname Wooddy paints a vivid picture of a family name steeped in the country’s rich heritage. With documented appearances in legal, ecclesiastical, and social records, the name illustrates a journey from humble forest-related origins to participation in significant societal advancements.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wooddy
Among Census respondents with the surname Wooddy, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Wooddy bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Wooddy surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.4% · 104
- Hispanic or Latino2.8% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wooddy
Wooddy appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#141,140
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
-4 bearers (-3.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 12,343 places
2020
#150,205
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
-9 bearers (-7.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 9,065 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #128,797 | 122 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #141,140 | 118 | 0.04 | -4 bearers (-3.3%) | Down 12,343 places |
| 2020 | #150,205 | 109 | 0.04 | -9 bearers (-7.6%) | Down 9,065 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Wooddy surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #141,140 | #150,205 | -6.4% |
| Count | 118 | 109 | -7.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wooddy bearers went from 118 to 109 (-7.6% change). The surname moved down 9,065 positions in the national ranking, going from #141,140 to #150,205.
FAQ
Wooddy surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wooddy?
Name Census estimates that about 125 living Americans carry the surname Wooddy. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,742,035 residents.
How common is Wooddy?
Wooddy ranks #150,205 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 109 people with the surname Wooddy. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (125), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Wooddy.
Has Wooddy become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wooddy went from 118 recorded bearers to 109. That is a decrease of 9 (-7.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #141,140 to #150,205.
What does the Census say about the background of Wooddy?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wooddy, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Wooddy in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.4% (104 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wooddy appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.4%), Hispanic (2.8%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Wooddy (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Wooddy mean?
A surname derived from Old English "wudu", meaning a woodland or forest. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Wooddy (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Wooddy?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.