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Woodcock Family History

Woodcock Surname Meaning

English:: from Middle English wodecok ‘woodcock’ (Old English wuducocc a compound of Old English wudu ‘wood’ + cocc ‘cock bird’) a type of bird that is notoriously easy to catch. Therefore the name might have been either for a person who caught or sold woodcock or a nickname for a gullible person.

In some cases because there can be confusion between -cock and -cot in surnames and therefore the name may also be a variant of Woodcott, a habitational name from any of various places called with Old English wudu ‘wood’ + cot ‘cottage shelter’.

Such places include Woodcott in Cheshire and Hampshire, or Woodcote in Hampshire, Surrey, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, and Shropshire.

Additionally, the name could derive from any residence at a cottage in or near a wood.

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


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Where is the Woodcock family from?

You can see how Woodcock families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Woodcock family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Woodcock families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 1,916 Woodcock families living in Yorkshire. This was about 21% of all the recorded Woodcock's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Woodcock families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Woodcock 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 Woodcock ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Woodcock. 7% of Woodcock men worked as a General Labourer and 68% of Woodcock women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Woodcock were Farmer and Private Means.

View Census Data for Woodcock | 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

  • General Labourer
    7%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
  • Builders Labourer
    3%
  • Farmer
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    68%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Private Means
    2%

What Woodcock family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 202,000 census records available for the last name Woodcock. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Woodcock census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Woodcock

Passenger Lists

There are 13,000 immigration records available for the last name Woodcock. 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 Woodcock immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 17,000 military records available for the last name Woodcock. For the veterans among your Woodcock ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Woodcock military records

You've only scratched the surface of Woodcock family history

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What is the average Woodcock lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Woodcock life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Woodcock in 1944 was 31, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Woodcock

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Woodcock 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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