Surname Smallwood - Meaning and Origin
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Unraveling the Roots of Smallwood: A Personal Journey Through iGENEA DNA Test
Taking the iGENEA DNA Test was an enlightening journey deep into my ancestral roots, unraveling the truth about my surname Smallwood, and presenting unexpected connections with distant relatives across the globe.
V. Smallwood
read moreSmallwood: What does the surname Smallwood mean?
The surname Smallwood is of English origin, derived from a geographical location. It originated from a place called Smallwood in Cheshire, England. The name is literal in its meaning, with "small" referring to a place of lesser statute, and "wood" denoting a wooded area. Therefore, it refers to people who lived near or in a small wood or a small forest. Like many surnames, Smallwood served as a way to identify individuals, particularly in larger communities where first names were often common. Over time, as people moved from their original homes, the surname Smallwood retained its geographical roots but came to be more generally associated with specific lineages or families. The first recorded spelling of the family name was shown to be "Smallwode", dated 1332. Today, the name is predominantly found in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. Famous people named Smallwood include Joseph R. Smallwood, the first Premier of Newfoundland, Canada, and the musician Richard Smallwood, a Grammy-nominated gospel artist.
Order DNA origin analysisSmallwood: Where does the name Smallwood come from?
The surname Smallwood is most common today in the United Kingdom, particularly around the Midlands. It is most common in Cheshire, Staffordshire, and Derbyshire, as well as in Yorkshire and Lancashire. Smallwood is also a popular name in Australia, particularly in New South Wales.
Smallwood is typically an English name, and it is thought to have originated from the Olde English word 'smal', which means small. It was then combined with 'wode' or 'wudu', which meant wood, to give us Smallwood. The name was usually given to people from places and families which had small wooded areas such as farms or hamlets.
The Smallwood name is quite varied, with variations including Smalwood, Smalwode, Smolwood, Smallwod, Smellwood, Smillwood and Smillie. The name is usually quite easy to trace due to its archaic roots, and its presence in various records.
Today, the surname Smallwood is the 5,303rd most popular name in the United Kingdom, and the 10,424th most popular name in Australia. In the United States, the name Smallwood is less common, but has its origins in the Southern states, particularly Georgia, Mississippi and Alabama.
Variations of the surname Smallwood
Smallwood is an English occupational surname with Germanic roots. It refers to a person who lived and worked in a small wood or forest. There are several variant spellings including Smalwood, Smallwod, Smalwoode, Smalwoodes, Smalwod, Smallewood and Smalewood.
The use of this surname goes back hundreds of years, and is seen in records dating to the twelfth century. A few notable examples include Thomas Smalwood (twelfth century), William Smalwod (fourteenth century) of Suffolk, and Thomas Smallewood (fifteenth century) of Dorsetshire.
Several surnames can also be derived from the same root. For example, the Middle English name Smalepot may have been used as a nickname for a person who knew how to use a small pot. Alternately, the Old English smaelwud may have been derived from a nickname for someone who is small in stature. This surname is often seen as Smalepott or Smalepote, and is occasionally spelled with double "ll" as Smallepot.
There is also the surnames Smalley and Smalleye which are derived from the same root as Smallwood. These surnames likely referred to people who lived in a small lea or meadow.
Finally, the surnames Smaylwood, Smyrlwood, Smirlwood, Skyrlwood, Smyellwood and Smyleswood are all variants that likely referred to people who came from a small area or a small estate.
Famous people with the name Smallwood
- Max Smallwood: prolific record producer and G.O.O.D. Music A&R executive
- Voni Glaves: professional Drummer, session player, and songwriter
- Helen Smallwood: a pioneering female engineer and National Physical Laboratory
- Mabel Smallwood: former President of the British Film Institute
- John Smallwood: Australian cricket umpire
- Cedric Smallwood: English cricketer
- D. B. Smallwood: actor and environmentalist
- Chris Smallwood: British composer and academic
- P. T. Smallwood: former NFL player
- Steve Smallwood: NASCAR driver
- Don Smallwood: former General Manager of the Atlanta Falcons
- Michael Smallwood: former Australian rules footballer
- Dexter Smallwood: former professional basketball player
- Zed Smallwood: British literary agent
- Sadie Smallwood: prolific American jazz singer and songwriter