Surname Wootten - Meaning and Origin

Wootten: What does the surname Wootten mean?

The last name Wootten is of English origin, and is believed to be derived from a place name, originating from either the town of Wootton in Oxfordshire, or Wootton in Kent. It is thought to have originally been derived from the Old English words wudu (wood) and tun (enclosure or settlement).

The meaning of Wootten can be further divided into two distinct forms - Wotton and Wootton. That appears to be due to the fact that the Old English language had no 'o' sound, only 'u'.

The name Wootten may be well known in parts of England, as Wootton Basset, a town in Wiltshire, became famous after being the location of repatriation ceremonies for fallen British military personnel. This has contributed to the name seeing an upsurge of popularity in recent times.

Within the census records of the United Kingdom throughout the 19th century, the surname Wootten appears to have been concentrated mainly in the counties of Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire and Hampshire.

In terms of career paths, the traditional fields of farming and the military have been chosen by many holders of the name Wootten. In more recent times, holders of the surname have branched out and continue to find success in a range of areas, including business, sport, and the arts.

Wootten: Where does the name Wootten come from?

The last name Wootten is most common in England today, with the five most concentrated locations being in the southern counties of Surrey, Kent, Essex, and London. These are followed by East Anglia, particularly Norfolk.

The Wootten family has been in England since the 12th century, with its roots in the Anglo-Saxon naming system, which used patronyms, or names derived from the name of the father. Over time, the name evolved from Wotun, Wotton and Wooten, before becoming Wootten.

Throughout the centuries, the Woottens have left their mark across the country. In Suffolk for example, there is a village called Wootten, whilst the Wootten name can be found in several places across the country such as Wootten Green, Wootten Bassett, Wootton Rivers and Wootton Wawen.

The Wootten name is also common in the United States, with the highest concentrations in the states of Virginia, Tennessee and West Virginia. This is particularly true in the counties of Campbell and Roanoke in Virginia, and Sevier County in Tennessee. The Wootten families in the US can be traced back to John Wootten, who emigrated to the US from England in the 1600s.

Today, the Wootten name is most commonly associated with knowledge, academic distinction and hard work. In countries around the world, Woottens continue to gain respect for their commitment to integrity, success, and civic duty.

Variations of the surname Wootten

The surname Wootten hasVariants, spellings and surnames of the same origin, and they include Wooten, Wotton, Wooton, Wootton, Wootan, Wootin, Wouton, Wouten, and Wouttin. In addition, other, less common spellings of the same surname include Wootan, Wootin, Woeton, Wooiton, Woiton, Wootan, Wootin, and Wouttin.

Wooten is the most commonly seen spelling of this surname in the United States, although Wotton is the form with the highest visibility in the United Kingdom. The fewer seen spellings are most likely to be seen in spelling native records or historical documents.

Part of the Wootten name originates from its geographic location, meaning that those with the surname were originally from Wootten, which is a village found in Devon, England. As a result, Wooten is the most seen spelling in the US, and Wotton the most seen in the UK.

The surname may also have ethnic origins, as its variants are prominent amongst those of German or Jewish descent. It is also sometimes seen combined with other surnames to provide a patronymic or matronymic variations, such as Abbott-$Wootton, Allen-$Wooten, Beevers-$Wootton, or Clark-$Wooten.

Finally, the surname Wootten can also be found as a spelling derived from other names. For example, Wootten is a variation of the German surname Wouten, while Wooten is a corruption of the Old English given name Woden.

Famous people with the name Wootten

• Valerie Wootten: Valerie is a retired American volleyball player who won a gold medal during the 1984 Summer Olympics.
• Everett Wootten: Everett is an American bridge player and a three-time World Bridge Federation Player of the Year.
• Tony Wootten: Tony is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder.
• John Wootten: John is a retired Australian rules footballer who played for the Collingwood Football Club in the Victorian Football League.
• Dick Wootten: Dick Wootten is an American golf professional who has won five PGA Tour titles.
• Audrey Wootten: Audrey is a British former competitive swimmer who won two gold medals at the 1964 Summer Olympics.
• Sam Wootten: Sam is an English professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for AFC Telford United.
• Bryan Wootten: Bryan is a professional basketball player who most recently played for the Brisbane Bullets of the Australian National Basketball League.
• Stephen Wootten: Stephen is an English former footballer who played for Aston Villa.
• Roger Wootten: Roger is an English former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

Other surnames

Wootton