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Woodard Family History

Woodard Surname Meaning

English: from the Norman Old French personal name Odard Udard Middle English Wodard Wudard. It derives from the ancient Germanic name Authard Othard Odard composed of the elements aud- ‘riches' + hard- ‘hard bold’.

Occupational name from Middle English wode ‘wood’ + herde ‘herd’ (Old English wudu + hierde) for a person who tended animals pastured in woodland.

Post-medieval pronunciation of Woodward.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Woodard family from?

You can see how Woodard families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Woodard family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Woodard families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 243 Woodard families living in London. This was about 31% of all the recorded Woodard's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Woodard families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Woodard surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Woodard ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Carpenter and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Woodard. 16% of Woodard men worked as a Carpenter and 77% of Woodard women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Woodard were Street Trader and Private Means.

View Census Data for Woodard | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Carpenter
    16%
  • Builders Labourer
    11%
  • Farm Labourer
    11%
  • Street Trader
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    77%
  • Housewife
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Private Means
    2%

What Woodard family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 170,000 census records available for the last name Woodard. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Woodard census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Woodard

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Woodard. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Woodard immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 33,000 military records available for the last name Woodard. For the veterans among your Woodard ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Woodard military records

You've only scratched the surface of Woodard family history

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What is the average Woodard lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Woodard life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Woodard in 1941 was 53, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Woodard

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Woodard ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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