Surname Woodham - Meaning and Origin
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Woodham: What does the surname Woodham mean?
The last name Woodham is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is derived from the Old English words 'wudu' and 'ham', meaning a settlement near the wood.
In the Middle Ages, the Woodham surname was commonly found throughout Great Britain, indicating that many people shared this name during this period. Woodhams were first found in Essex, as one of the earliest recorded families that adopted the surname was Walter de Wudham, a knight born near the River Foulness in Essex during the 12th century.
The Woodham family has had a long history of many distinguished members, including Lawrence Woodham, an influential writer and broadcaster who featured during the 1950s and 60s. He is known to have written several books and articles about historical subjects.
The name Woodham is thought to have had various meanings throughout history, such as 'dweller in the wood', 'from the winding wood' or 'from the high valued wood'. It is also believed to be a name bestowed upon a person who lived near a wood or forest or who beloged to a family whose settlement was well tantalised with woods.
Overall, the surname Woodham is an ancient Anglo-Saxon name with many different possible meanings, connecting the related people to the rich rural history of Great Britain.
Order DNA origin analysisWoodham: Where does the name Woodham come from?
The last name Woodham is most commonly associated with the United States, particularly in the South. As of the 2020 census, the name was most present in Georgia, Mississippi, Texas, and Alabama.
In Georgia, the last name Woodham accounts for 0.0028% of the population, with 297 people currently living there. This makes it the most common place to find the name Woodham. Mississippi comes in at second with 0.0022% of the population, amounting to 147 people. Following these two are Texas with 121 people and Alabama with 89 people.
Outside of the United States, Woodhams have been located in the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada. In the United Kingdom, there are 45 Woodhams. Similarly, Australia and Canada both have 34 Woodhams living there each.
In conclusion, the last name Woodham is most commonly found in the United States, particularly in the South, with the most common places being Georgia, Mississippi, Texas, and Alabama. It has a smaller presence but is still notable in the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada.
Variations of the surname Woodham
Woodham is a surname of English origin deriving from a location. It is believed to have originated in the Sussex region of England. Variants include Woodam and Woodhams. Spellings that are closely associated with the surname Woodham include Woolham, Woodam, Woodhame and Woodhums.
The early versions of the surname Woodham were found in the documents of the Sussex region in the 11th century and some of the earliest settlers were recorded as Adam of Wyggem, Ralf of Wyggem and Leofric of Wyggem.
The Woodham surname has evolved over the centuries and has various spellings and variants. Other variants include Woodoms, Woodome, Woodomes, Woodomes, Woodum, Woodumms and Woolhom. It is also sometimes spelled with an apostrophe as ‘Woodham’s’ or with an ‘s’ at the end as ‘Woodhams’.
Variants of other spelling variations of the Woodham surname may include Woolhams, Woodhams, Woodam, Woolham, Woodhams, Woodman, Woodmane, Woodmans, Woolman, Woolmans, Woodmons, Woolmons, Woolum, and Woolums.
Additional surnames with similar origins include Wooding, Wooling, Woodhams, Wooding, Woodingstow, Woodingston, Woodingstone, and Woolings. These surnames usually derive from a location name but there are some variations in spelling.
In Scotland, there are rare instances of the Woodham surname being found in the Orkney and Shetland Isles. The Orkeny version of Woodham is spelled Woolam which is similar to the early spellings of the surname. Lastly, the surname Woodham has carried to the United States and is found in states such as Virginia, Maryland and New York.
Famous people with the name Woodham
- Pooky Quesnel: English Actress
- Jack Woodham: Former Professional Tennis Player
- Paul Woodham: Former Optical Physicist
- Luke Woodham: perpetrator of the 1997 Pearl High School Massacre
- Tim Woodham: British High Performance Manager for Adventure Racing
- Lucy Woodham: British Archaeologist
- Jonathan Woodham: Former Professor of Design History and Theory
- Kimberley Woodham: British Child Prodigy
- David Woodham: British Army Officer and Politician
- Geraldine Woodham: English Actress