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

Woodfork, 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 Woodfork surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Woodfork in America

Woodfork is the 20382nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Woodfork surname appeared 1,304 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 Woodfork.

We can also compare 2010 data for Woodfork 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 Woodfork

The surname Woodfork has its origins in the British Isles, specifically England, around the early medieval period. The name is believed to be a toponymic surname, deriving from a geographical location that features prominently in its etymology. The name is built from Middle English words 'wode', meaning wood, and 'forc', meaning fork, denoting a fork or division in the woods. This suggests that the original bearers of the surname Woodfork lived near a significant fork in a wooded area, perhaps where two paths or rivers diverged.

Early references to the name Woodfork are scarce, suggesting that it may have been a localized name with limited spread initially. There are no direct appearances of this surname in prominent documents like the Domesday Book of 1086, but it is likely that similar names based on woodland features were recorded. The earliest known example of the surname might be traced back to parish records and local documents from the 13th or 14th centuries.

One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the surname Woodfork was Thomas Woodfork, an English yeoman who appeared in local tax records in Yorkshire around 1372. The name later migrated from England to other parts of the British Isles and was sometimes noted in variants such as Woodfolke or Woodforke. By the 16th century, descendants of the Woodfork name had spread to various parts of England, including Suffolk and Norfolk.

A notable historical figure with the surname Woodfork was Elizabeth Woodfork, born in 1672 and mentioned in a number of legal documents relating to land ownership and disputes in Norfolk. In the 18th century, another prominent person, Richard Woodfork, born in 1710, made significant contributions to local governance in Suffolk and was documented in municipal meeting records.

The name Woodfork also made its way to the American colonies, likely with early English settlers seeking new opportunities. By the early 19th century, a well-known bearer of the surname in the United States was Samuel Woodfork, born in 1795, who became a respected community leader in Virginia during a period of significant social and economic change.

In more recent history, Frederick Douglass Woodfork (1892–1974) emerged as a prominent figure whose work in academia and civil rights added to the name's legacy. His contributions to education and his advocacy for African American rights during the 20th century highlighted the continued presence and impact of the Woodfork name.

The surname Woodfork, with its roots deeply embedded in the English landscape, reflects an enduring connection to the natural environment. Historical figures bearing the name have left marks on various regions and eras, showcasing the name's journey through time and its adaptation across continents.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Woodfork

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

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 Woodfork 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 Woodfork 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 Woodfork was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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