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Woodruff Family History

Woodruff Surname Meaning

English: from Middle English woderove ‘woodruff sweet woodruff’ (Old English wudurofe) a sweet-scented plant.

The leaves of the plant have a sweet smell and the surname may also have been a nickname for one who used it as a perfume or perhaps an ironical nickname for a malodorous person.

Alternatively, perhaps a topographic name for someone who lived at or near a place where woodruff grew.

There may have been some confusion with Woodrow.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Woodruff family from?

You can see how Woodruff families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Woodruff family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Woodruff families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 418 Woodruff families living in Lancashire. This was about 25% of all the recorded Woodruff's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Woodruff families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Woodruff 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 Woodruff 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 Woodruff. 11% of Woodruff men worked as a General Labourer and 71% of Woodruff women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Woodruff were Builders Labourer and Unpaid Household Duties.

View Census Data for Woodruff | 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
    11%
  • Bricklayer
    10%
  • Retired
    7%
  • Builders Labourer
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    71%
  • Cotton Weaver
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Unpaid Household Duties
    3%

What Woodruff family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 171,000 census records available for the last name Woodruff. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Woodruff census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Woodruff

Passenger Lists

There are 11,000 immigration records available for the last name Woodruff. 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 Woodruff immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 43,000 military records available for the last name Woodruff. For the veterans among your Woodruff ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Woodruff military records

You've only scratched the surface of Woodruff family history

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What is the average Woodruff lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Woodruff life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Woodruff in 1942 was 40, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Woodruff

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Woodruff 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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