Surname Wolford - Meaning and Origin

Wolford: What does the surname Wolford mean?

The last name Wolford can trace its origins back to England and Germany. In England, it most likely derived from a location, Wolford or Woolford, derived from two Old English words meaning “wolf” and “ford”—a ford or crossing where wolves had been sighted. In Germany, the origin of the name may have been derived from a combination of the personal name Wolf, and the popular suffix "fort," meaning “strong.”

As a result, the last name Wolford could be a reference to an ancestor's place of origin or to his strong, warrior-like qualities. It is possible that the English version of the last name was adopted in Germany, or vice versa, as English and German immigrants often adopted parts of each other's naming conventions.

Today, those with the last name Wolford are spread throughout the world, with large populations in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Australia. In the United States, the most prevalent states include Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, and California. The average life expectancy for those bearing the Wolford last name is around 79-82 years, which is slightly lower than that of the national average in the US.

No matter its origin, the last name Wolford has endured over many generations and reflects a strong sense of heritage and identity.

Wolford: Where does the name Wolford come from?

The last name Wolford can be found all over the world today. It is quite common in the United States, but it also has a presence in Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. In the United States, the last name Wolford is especially concentrated in the Midwest, particularly in Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois.

In Indiana, there are concentrations of the last name in Putnam, Parke, Fayette, Vermillion, Clay, Tippecanoe, and Vanderburgh counties. In Ohio, the last name can be found in the counties of Muskingum, Washington, Noble, Miami, and Washington counties. In Illinois, the name is concentrated in Macon, Pekin, Sangamon, Stephenson, and Henry counties.

Historical records suggest that the Wolford surname may have first originated in Germany. It is likely that the surname has a Saxon origin, as many Surnames in this region have. Another possibility is that the name was derived from two Middle English words, “wol,” meaning wolf, and “ford,” meaning a shallow crossing in a river or stream.

Regardless of its origin, the last name Wolford is certainly quite common today, especially in the Midwest of the United States.

Variations of the surname Wolford

The surname Wolford has several variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. Variants include Wolfhard, Wolfford, Wolfarth, Wolford, Walford, Walfford, and Wallford. Spellings, which are different ways of spelling the same name, include Woolford, Wolphard, Welfard, Wulfard, and Woolfard.

Surnames of the same origin as Wolford come from Old German words such as ‘wulf’ or ‘wulfert’, which mean ‘wolf’, as well as ‘walt’, which means ‘ruler’. Some of these surnames derived from the same Old German source include Wolf, Wolfe, Wolvin, Wolfine, Wolfish, Wolferman, Wolfram, and Wolver.

The name Wolford often occurs in records from England, Germany, and parts of France. In England the early Wulfords were found in the south of the country, mainly in Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Hampshire. Farther north, in Scotland, some variants of the surname were found in the ancient province of Moray.

The name has multiple regional spellings in German-speaking countries; although it is usually written as Wolfhard, in some parts of Bavaria it is spelled as “Wulfart”, while in Baden it becomes “Welfart”. In other European countries the spelling is usually “Wolford”, but it is also commonly seen as “Wallford” in Italy.

Famous people with the name Wolford

• William M. Wolford: He was the 19th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Wisconsin.
• David Wolford: He is a former member of the United States House of Representatives from the 8th District of Indiana.
• William P. Wolford: He was the 7th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Indiana.
• Rachael Wolford: She is an American figure skater and a four-time U.S. national pairs champion.
• Jesse Wolford: He is a former American professional Basketball player.
• Bob Wolford: He was a professional Baseball player in the MLB.
• John Wolford: He is an American professional football player.
• Vickie Wolford: She is an American musician and songwriter.
• Matt Wolford: He is an American actor and film producer.
• Thomas Wolford: He was a U.S. Representative from Ohio.
• Glen Wolford: He is an American college basketball coach.
• John Paul Wolford: He is an American soccer player.
• Ruth Wolford: She is an American poet.
• Wanda M. Wolford: She was the first female judge in Tippecanoe County, Indiana.

Other surnames

Wolfort