Origin of the name WOODS Back

Origin

DURHAM : Local. Acoording to Bailey, this word is derived from the Saxon Dun and holm, a town in a wood. It seems rather to come from the British Dour, water, and holm, land surrounded mostly by water. It may be derived from Dovre, which, in the British and Celtic, signifies a woody place, abounding in oaks; hence Doireholm or Dourham, that is, the place or town surrounded by woods.

GODWIN : Same as Goodwin or Gooden, derived from God or good, Sax., and win, conqueror, that is, a conqueror in God, converted or victorious in God. In one of those battles fought between Edmund the Anglo-Saxon, and Canute the Dane, the Danish army being routed and forced to fly, one of their principal captains named Ulf lost his way in the woods. After wandering all night, he met at daybreak a young peasant driving a herd of oxen whom he saluted, and asked hia name. '1 am Godwin, the son of Ulfhoth,' said the young peasant, 'and thou art a Dane.'

SHAW : (Scotch.) A lawn, a plain surrounded by trees, or an open space between woods.

Origin of name provided by Jean Tosti

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Map

Geographic distribution of the 115460 individuals with the name WOODS on Geneanet.

This last name in the family trees

See below the Geneanet members' family trees which contain the last name WOODS