Underwood Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Underwood last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Underwood last name
Meaning of the Underwood last name: dweller at the edge of a wood. Underwood was a name for someone who lived at the foot or edge of a wood, from the old words for "under" and "wood". Several places in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire are also called Underwood. The surname is common across the Midlands and southern England. A curious detail: the Underwood typewriter made the name familiar in offices around the world in the early 20th century.
Arms associated with the Underwood name
English heraldry loves puns, with pictures chosen to match the sound of a name, and families like the Underwoods often enjoyed that playful custom.
Get your full Underwood family history
This is only a glimpse of the Underwood story. The full Underwood history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Underwood coat of arms. Get the full Underwood report.
Underwood name FAQ
What does the Underwood name mean?
Dweller at the edge of a wood. Common variants include Underwod, Underhill, Woods.
Where does the Underwood surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Australia and Canada.
Is there a Underwood coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Underwood coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford); US Census Bureau 2010.