Where Does the Name Woodward Come from?

Woodward is a name that was carried to England in the great wave of migration from Normandy following the Norman Conquest of 1066. It is a name for a forester. Looking back even further, we found the name was originally derived from the Old English words wode, meaning wood, and ward, meaning guardian or keeper.

Is Woodward a Viking name?

Last name: Woodward

This interesting surname is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and comes from a medieval occupational name for a forester (which has formed another well known surname), a man employed to look after the trees and the game in the forest.

Where did the name Woodward originate?

The Old English words wudu meaning “wood” and weard meaning “guardian or “protector” gave us the occupational surname Woodward, someone who looked after the trees and the game in the forest. The name Waudard appeared in the Domesday Book of 1086.

Alexander Ross

Alexander Ross

Gaming, Esports & Interactive Media Writer

Alexander Ross has covered the video game industry for a decade, writing deep dives on game design, esports tournaments, VR developments, and gaming culture.