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

Woodlin, 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 Woodlin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Woodlin in America

Woodlin is the 153769th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Woodlin surname appeared 106 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 Woodlin.

We can also compare 2010 data for Woodlin 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 Woodlin

The surname Woodlin likely has its origins in England, emerging prominently during the medieval period. The name appears to be locational, derived from areas characterized by woodland or forested regions. The construction of the name seems to come from Old English elements: "wudu," meaning wood or forest, and "lind," which could mean a linden tree or could be a diminutive suffix indicating something small or minor. This combination would essentially mean 'the small wood' or 'the linden forest.'

The earliest records of the surname Woodlin are sparse, but there are instances of similar spellings in ancient documents. One such appearance is in the Subsidy Rolls of Somerset from 1327, where a Robert de Wodeland is mentioned. It is plausible that Woodlin is another variation of such topographical surnames, modified over time through vernacular changes and clerical errors in documentation.

In terms of historical references, there are mentions of individuals with the Woodlin surname in parish records and legal documents from the late 16th and early 17th centuries. For instance, the name appears in the archives of Devonshire, with a Richard Woodlin recorded in the 1592 baptismal records. This indicates that the surname was established and in use among common folk in southwestern England during the Elizabethan era.

Another notable figure is Anne Woodlin, born around 1645 and documented in marriage records from Norwich, marrying a John Bascombe in 1666. This shows the surname continuing into the Restoration period, with its bearers participating actively in their local communities.

A further record from the 18th century is found in the burial registers of Kent, where a Thomas Woodlin, who lived from 1732 to 1795, is noted. Thomas Woodlin appears to have been a farmer, contributing to the agrarian economy of the region, and his family continued the lineage well into the next century.

The Victorian era saw the name spreading slightly further afield within England. James Woodlin (1816-1889), a textile worker from Manchester, appears in the industrial census records. He represents the rural-to-urban migration wave that saw many with traditionally agrarian surnames moving to burgeoning cities for work during the Industrial Revolution.

One of the most prominent bearers of the surname is Emma Woodlin (1870-1942), a noted suffragette from London who was active in the early 20th century. Her contributions to the women’s suffrage movement marked a significant chapter in the history of social reforms in England.

In summary, the surname Woodlin, with its roots in England and etymology tied to forested landscapes, has evolved through various forms and recorded appearances, marking the social and economic activities of its bearers over several centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Woodlin

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

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

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

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