Woods Family Crest and Surname Origin
A short guide to the Woods surname: its meaning, its roots in England, and its heraldry.
Order your pack and our heraldry team researches and paints the Woods coat of arms for you.
Origin of the Woods name
Woods is a topographic name for someone who lived in or beside a wood, from Old English wudu; the final -s marks either a plural or the genitive, "of the wood". It is a common name in northern England and the Midlands. In Ireland, Woods was also adopted as an English translation of Gaelic names containing coill, "wood", such as Mac Conchoille, so many Irish families of the name have a separate origin.
Our historical archives hold much more on the Woods name: dates, names and records of early bearers.
This overview covers the Woods name in England. We also hold records of the name in other countries, such as Ireland, the United States and Australia; your full pack is researched for your family's country of origin.
Get your full Woods family history
The researched Woods pack traces meaning, early bearers and migration routes, and includes a personalized Woods coat of arms.
Woods name FAQ
What does the Woods name mean?
Dweller by the woods. Common variants include Wood, Atwood, Woodes.
Where does the Woods surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in Ireland, the United States and Australia.
Is there a Woods coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals, not whole surnames, so there is no single Woods crest. Herald Lab paints a personalized Woods coat of arms based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; MacLysaght, The Surnames of Ireland; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).