History of your Surname
Get access to Westwood family records.Start a free trial

Westwood Family History

Westwood Name Meaning

English: topographic name habitational name for someone who lived ‘by the west wood’ (Middle English west + wode) or who came from any of numerous places called Westwood (from Old English west ‘west’ + wudu ‘wood’) such as those in Kent Wiltshire Warwickshire or Worcestershire.

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


Similar surnames: Eastwood, Weston, Watwood, Prestwood, Westcott, Westbrook, Henwood

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Westwood family from?

You can see how Westwood families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Westwood family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Westwood families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 64 Westwood families living in Ontario. This was about 41% of all the recorded Westwood's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Westwood families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Westwood surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Westwood ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Westwood. 26% of Westwood men worked as a Farmer and 72% of Westwood women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Westwood were Engineer and Student. .

View Census Data for Westwood | 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 1921

  • Farmer
    26%
  • Labourer
    16%
  • Machinist
    8%
  • Engineer
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Stenographer
    72%
  • Student
    29%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Westwood family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 100,000 census records available for the last name Westwood. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Westwood census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Westwood

Passenger Lists

There are 8,000 immigration records available for the last name Westwood. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Westwood immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 6,000 military records available for the last name Westwood. For the veterans among your Westwood ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Westwood military records

You've only scratched the surface of Westwood family history

Discover More

What is the average Westwood lifespan?

Between 1952 and 2004, in the United States, Westwood life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1956, and highest in 1980. The average life expectancy for Westwood in 1952 was 56, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Westwood

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Westwood family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Westwood last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial