Map of England showing where the Woodfork arms are recorded
The Woodfork arms were recorded in Leicester, c. 1619.
Leicestershire was grazing country, and wool and cattle made steady money rather than spectacular fortunes. Steady money bought manors, and manors are what brought families into the registers.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
The body that granted and recorded arms in England in this period.
James VI and I
Sovereign of the period
James VI and I
1603–1625
Reigning in England when the Woodfork arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in England
English heraldry allowed arms to be shared by all legitimate descendants of the original owner. These symbols were treated as personal property that moved through the generations to all children. While the eldest son kept the original design, other family members could use the same shield without needing to change it or register their own unique versions.
Granting authority
The College of Arms in London has regulated the use of coats of arms throughout England and Wales since 1484.
How they got arms
Families typically obtained their coats of arms through a formal grant from the Crown or by proving their ancient right to them.
Where arms were recorded
All official coats of arms are recorded in the registers kept at the College of Arms, which date back to the fifteenth century.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Leicester.
Origin & History of the Woodfork Family in England
The surname Woodfork is a locative name, meaning it likely originated from a specific geographic feature or a small settlement where early ancestors lived. The name is composed of two Old English elements: "wudu," meaning wood or forest, and "ford," referring to a shallow place in a river where one could cross. This suggests that the first people to carry the name lived near a wooded crossing point. By 1619, records confirm that members of the Woodfork family were established in Leicester, a historic city in the East Midlands of England. During this period, families often took their surnames from the landscape surrounding their homes, and the Woodfork name likely identified a family that resided near a forest path or a river crossing in that region. Over time, as the family moved and grew, the name remained a testament to their deep roots in the English countryside.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Wudu and Ford
Old English for wood or forest and a shallow river crossing.
This name
WoodforkA topographic name for someone who lived near a river crossing by a forest.
also spelled
Woodforth
Wodforth
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Reaney, P.H. and Wilson, R.M., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1991
Leicestershire Archives, Records of the Archdeaconry of Leicester: Wills and Administrations, 1619
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
lionCourage, strength and royalty
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
lionCourage, strength and royalty
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
