Surname Wootan - Meaning and Origin
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Wootan: What does the surname Wootan mean?
The last name Wootan is of English origin and is derived from the surname Wootton. It is a locational name from any of the various places called Wootton in Kent, Oxfordshire, and Northamptonshire. The place names are derived from the Old English words "wudu" meaning "wood" and "tun" meaning "enclosure" or "settlement".
The surname indicates that the original bearer of the name was a person who lived near or at one of these places. Thus, the name could have been given to anyone who resided in one of the places with the same name.
The name Wootan is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and was derived from some variation of Wootton. It is possible that the name was adopted in the 17th century by people who had emigrated from one of the wootton places to another region.
In some instances, the name may have been adopted by people who travelled to the wootton region as traders, and it may have been taken as a family name by those who settled there.
The name Wootan appears to have been popular in the 19th century, and is still used in some parts of the world, mainly Northern England and Scotland.
The surname Wootan can be found in the records of many nations in Europe. Records of Wootans living in Ireland date back to the 16th century. It is also prevalent in the United Kingdom from the Middle Ages onward.
The family crest for Wootan can be found in several different countries, including Ireland and Scotland, suggesting the ancient origins of the surname.
Order DNA origin analysisWootan: Where does the name Wootan come from?
The last name Wootan is most commonly found today in the United States, located primarily across the south and midwest regions.
The earliest known ancestors of the Wootan family date as far back as the late 17th century, where the surname appears in Pennsylvania records. From here, they were among the earliest pioneers of the Appalachian Mountains and Kentucky in the early 1700s.
Today, descendants of the Wootan name can be found in the states of Mississippi, Kentucky, Tennessee, Louisiana, Texas, and Ohio. There has also been some migration up into the midwest in areas such as Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri, where some Wootans have even left their mark on the city of St.Louis.
The popular genealogy site, Ancestry.com, also lists Wootans as being present in areas such as Nebraska, North and South Carolina, California, and Oklahoma. Worldwide, there have been some families who have carried the Wootan name to other parts of the world, such as England, Wales, Scotland, and Australia.
Although the Wootan name is not overly common today, the Wootans of the past have left a meaningful legacy in the South and Midwest area, and have become a part of the history of many towns and cities around the region.
Variations of the surname Wootan
Wootan (also known as Wooton, Wooten, Wootton and Wuton) is a surname with Anglo-Saxon origins. It is believed to be derived from the Old English pre-7th century word 'wudu' meaning 'wood'. The surname was likely derived from those who lived or worked in a wooded area, or as a nickname for someone with great strength.
Originally, the spelling of the surname was Wyton and was often written without the 'ey', the name becoming Wuton and Wooton. Variant spellings of the name are Wotton, Wooten, Wooton, Wootton and Wootan. It is also found in various forms all over the world such as Woutan, Wuitan, Wuotan, Woeton, Wouden, Oudin and Vouton.
The surname has been found mainly in the United Kingdom, but is also associated with certain areas of the United States, such as Virginia, New Jersey, Illinois, North Carolina and Tennessee. In the United Kingdom, the name is found mostly in counties such as Kent, Suffolk, Oxfordshire and Northamptonshire.
In Scottish records it is usually referred to as Wyotan or Wouter and sometimes also Wyotun or Wytton. In the United Kingdom, there is evidence of over one hundred different spellings of the Wootan surname.
Because of its frequent spelling variations, Wootan is an interesting and unique surname with many variants, spellings, and related surnames. As a result of its history, the name can be found all over the world and can be used to trace a family's lineage, both in English-speaking countries and internationally.
Famous people with the name Wootan
- Alexa Wootan: American actress best known for her roles on television series such as Mystery Girls and The Middle.
- David Wootan: American film producer best known for his Emmy nominated work on the TV movie Grey Gardens.
- David Wootan Jr.: American former quarterback who played for the Cleveland Browns.
- Andrew Wootan: American banker and philanthropist who is the current Chairman and CEO of the Heritage Financial Group.
- Brandon Wootan: American voice actor known for his work on The Loud House and The Tom and Jerry Show.
- Erin Wootan: American artist and sculptor who specializes in contemporary ceramics.
- Philip Wootan: American software engineer and entrepreneur, co-founder of the software company Cadence Design Systems.
- Ryan Wootan: American entertainer, musician, and songwriter who was a part of the band Cage The Elephant.
- Talitha Wootan: American actress, singer, and dancer best known for her work in theater, television, and film.
- Tyler Wootan: American cyclist and professional mountain biker.