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

Woodard Family History

Woodard Name Meaning

English:: from the Norman Old French personal name Odard Udard Middle English Wodard Wudard. It derives from the ancient Germanic name Authard Othard Odard composed of the elements aud- ‘riches' + hard- ‘hard bold’. occupational name from Middle English wode ‘wood’ + herde ‘herd’ (Old English wudu + hierde) for a person who tended animals pastured in woodland. post-medieval pronunciation of Woodward .

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


Similar surnames: Woodward, Woolard, Godard, Wollard, Goodart, Goddard, Woodyard

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 Woodard family from?

You can see how Woodard families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Woodard family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Woodard families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 96 Woodard families living in Ontario. This was about 40% of all the recorded Woodard's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Woodard families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Woodard surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Woodard ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Woodard. 38% of Woodard men worked as a Farmer and 50% of Woodard women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Woodard were Carpenter and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Woodard | 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
    38%
  • Laborer
    12%
  • Labourer
    10%
  • Carpenter
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Housewife
    50%
  • Housekeeper
    50%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Woodard family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 170,000 census records available for the last name Woodard. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Woodard census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Woodard

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Woodard. 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 Woodard immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 33,000 military records available for the last name Woodard. For the veterans among your Woodard ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Woodard military records

You've only scratched the surface of Woodard family history

Discover More

What is the average Woodard lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Woodard life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Woodard in 1941 was 53, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Woodard

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Woodard family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Woodard last name

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