Surname DeWoody - Meaning and Origin
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DeWoody: What does the surname DeWoody mean?
The surname DeWoody is of Dutch origin, with the literal meaning of “woody”, coming from Dutch ‘de houten’, and referring to a place where woodland was located.
The surname likely originated in an ancestral home which was near to, or surrounded by a wooded area, and the name was then passed down through the family line. It could either mean from 'the wood' or refer to someone who was like an overseer or caretaker of the woods in the area.
The earliest recorded DeWoody occurrences in America date back to the 1600s, when the first DeWoody settlers arrived in Virginia and New York. Records show that the DeWoody family have had a presence in the US for hundreds of years, with many contributing to the nation's development in various ways.
Today, the DeWoody name is common in many areas of the United States, Canada and Europe. The surname is still most largely associated with woodland, nature and conservation, although it has evolved to apply to many different occupations and activities.
Ultimately, those who bear the DeWoody name can be proud to be descendants of a family that has been around for hundreds and hundreds of years, and a family’s name that is tied to nature and outdoors.
Order DNA origin analysisDeWoody: Where does the name DeWoody come from?
The last name DeWoody is most commonly found in the United States today, although it has origins in England, Ireland, and Scotland. The earliest recorded DeWoody family in the United States dates back to 1758 in Pennsylvania. It is believed that the DesWoody family immigrated to the United States from England, Ireland, or Scotland. Today, the DeWoody family is spread across the country with members in nearly every state.
The highest concentrations of DeWoody family members are located in Pennsylvania, California, and Texas. In Pennsylvania, DeWoody family members are primarily concentrated in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. In California, many DeWoody family members live in the San Francisco Bay Area, while in Texas, the DeWoody family can be found in Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio.
The DeWoody surname is not incredibly common, and only a handful of people seem to have adopted the surname in recent times. Nonetheless, the DeWoody name has been present in the United States for centuries and is still found in every corner of the country today.
Variations of the surname DeWoody
The surname DeWoody is of Anglo-Norman origin and is derived from a topographical name for someone who lived in a woody area. It is also derived from two Old English words, ‘de’ meaning ‘at’ or ‘of’, and ‘wudu’ meaning ‘wood’. There are many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for DeWoody.
Some of those variants are DeWood, DeWoude, DeWoud, Dewoody, Dewoddy, DeWoodie, DeWoodey and DeWoodie. Spellings may vary but some examples of variations include De woody, de woody, de Woddy, de woddey and de Wodde.
Surnames derived from the same origin include Wood, Wod, Woode, Woddy, Woodward, Woodman and Woodhouse. The variation Woodhead is derived from two English words, ‘wod’ meaning 'wood' and ‘heafod’ meaning 'head'. Other variants include Woodhall, Woodruffe, Woodfin, Woodham and Woodburn.
The surname DeWoody is quite rare and is found mainly in England, Scotland and some parts of Ireland. It is also known to have spread to America, Canada and other parts of the world. Some of these variations are more common than the original surname DeWoody and can be found in different countries.
The origins of the DeWoody surname can be traced to the medieval period when family names first started to be used. The name is believed to have been a sign of status and power, and the surname has remained in use since then.
Famous people with the name DeWoody
- Vivian DeWoody: American artist and printmaker
- Marla DeWoody: former model and fashion designer
- Robert DeWoody: former special forces soldier and outdoorsman
- Jimmy DeWoody: professional surfer and surfboard shaper
- Rosie DeWoody: advocate and philanthropist
- Jeff DeWoody: retired NASCAR driver
- Joe DeWoody: former professional baseball player
- Clay DeWoody: professional snowboarder
- Max DeWoody: actor
- Ann DeWoody: mountaineer and explorer