Surname Woodroffe - Meaning and Origin
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Woodroffe: What does the surname Woodroffe mean?
The surname Woodroffe is an English topographic name originating from the Old English words ‘wudu’ (meaning ‘wood’) and ‘raef’ (meaning ‘ridge’). As such, the name originally referred to someone who lived near a prominent ridge of trees or in a wooded area. In addition, it could also refer to a person who resided in or worked in a wood.
The surname first appeared in the records of the 13th century, when Thomas de Woodroffe was mentioned in ‘The Hundred Rolls’ compiled in 1273 in Buckinghamshire. During the 1700s, the surname was also popular in Somerset, and records of the Woodroffe family in the area date back to at least the 1650s.
The Woodroffe family have emigrated to many countries such as Canada, the United States, Australia and New Zealand, giving its name greater currency around the world. The surname has become popular asa forename in recent times, perhaps due to the popular character ‘Woody’ in the classic Disney film ‘Toy Story’.
All in all, the last name Woodroffe has a rich and varied history, and is a proud testament to the many families who have borne this surname.
Order DNA origin analysisWoodroffe: Where does the name Woodroffe come from?
The last name Woodroffe is most commonly found in the United Kingdom today. Around forty-five percent of people with the last name live in England, with around twenty-three percent residing in Scotland, eight percent in Wales, and only four percent in Northern Ireland.
The majority of people with the last name Woodroffe are concentrated around the south-west of England, where around twenty-three percent of people with the last name live. The other areas with high incidence of the name are the West Midlands, London, the North West, and Yorkshire and The Humber.
The name is relatively rare in other countries; there are only around four hundred and fifty people with the surname outside the United Kingdom. The areas with the highest concentration of Woodroffes outside the UK are Canada, the United States, and Australia.
It is speculated that the name Woodroffe was derived from the Old English words for wood and second, and at one point it may have been used to designate people who came from a second wood or lived near to one.
In recent years, as many people with the last name Woodroffe have spread to other countries, the incidence of the name has probably gotten more widely distributed. People with the last name in the UK are still, however, primarily concentrated towards the south west of England.
Variations of the surname Woodroffe
The Woodroffe surname has a variety of spelling, variants, and alternate surnames of the same origin. These spellings include Woodroff, Woodruff, Woodruffe, Woodrosse, Woodrofts, Woodrofte, Woodris, Woodright, and Woodriff.
Woodroffe is primarily a British or English surname, coming from the Old English word for a clearing in a wood. The variations of the surnames may come from when the surname was written down and recorded by various people over the centuries, as well as a result of its influences in other countries such as the United States.
Woodroff, the original spelling, is thought to have come from the Middle English word ‘wodrof’ (from the early Germanic words ‘wudu’ and ‘rof’, meaning ‘wood’ ‘clearing’). The other spellings of Woodroffe are likely due to dialectal variations.
Woodruff is a common American spelling, and is thought to have come from the Dutch word ‘woodrup’, meaning ‘wood clearing’, which is an Americanization of the original Woodroffe.
Many of the other versions of the surname may have come from regional pronunciations or dialectal variations. The variation Woodriff may have come from a cross between ‘wood’ and the Anglo-Saxon word ‘riof,’ meaning ‘threshold’.
In turn, the surnames Woodrofte, Woodrise, Woodrights, and Woodris may come from an Old English name, ‘Wudrufte,’ meaning ‘of the woods’.
In summary, the Woodroffe surname has a variety of spellings and alternate surnames of the same origin, most likely stemming from Middle and Old English language influences. The variations, such as Woodroff, Woodruff, Woodruffe, Woodrosse, Woodrofts, Woodrofte, Woodris, Woodright, and Woodriff, come from dialectal and regional variations as well as Americanization of the original British name.
Famous people with the name Woodroffe
- Phillip Woodroffe: Jamaican jewellery designer
- Lord Piers Woodroffe: UK landowner and barrister
- Bill Woodroffe: Australian poet and visual artist
- Anthony Woodroffe: English actor
- Lesley Woodroffe: Scottish Labour councillor
- Brianna Woodroffe: Canadian singer-songwriter
- Adam Woodroffe: British Games Developer
- Peter Woodroffe: British computer scientist
- Julian Woodroffe: British architect
- Poppy Woodroffe: English journalist
- Dave Woodroffe: Australian Motorsport and car culture photographer
- Jonathan Woodroffe: UK drummer
- Dominic Woodroffe: British professional golfer
- Charles Woodroffe: Australian photographer
- Niall Woodroffe: British television producer
- Edward Woodroffe: English amateur Golfer
- Ben Woodroffe: English former professional cricketer
- Rob Woodroffe: UK singer-songwriter and instrumentalist
- Letty Woodroffe: British Architect
- Tim Woodroffe: British sculptor