Map of England showing where the Woodhull arms are recorded
The Woodhull arms were recorded in Oxford, c. 1574.
Oxfordshire was farming country with the university at its centre, and both produced families of standing. Scholars and lawyers who did well bought manors nearby, and holding a manor was the ordinary route to a coat of arms.
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.
Elizabeth I of England
Sovereign of the period
Elizabeth I of England
1558–1603
Reigning in England when the Woodhull 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 Oxford.
Origin & History of the Woodhull Family in England
The Woodhull family name finds its roots in the English landscape, specifically emerging as a locational surname derived from the Old English words for "wood" and "hill." By the year 1574, records confirm that members of the family were well-established in Oxford, where they participated in the academic and social life of the city. Over time, the name evolved through various spellings such as Wodhull and Odell, reflecting the shifting phonetic patterns of the English language during the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The family maintained a presence in these regions for generations, often serving as landowners or local officials who helped shape the development of their surrounding communities. Their history is closely tied to the rural geography of England, as the name itself served as a permanent marker of their ancestral connection to the wooded hillsides of the countryside.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Wode-hyll
Old English for wooded hill or forest slope.
This name
WoodhullA topographic name for someone who lived near a hill covered with trees.
also spelled
Wodhulle
Related arms
Wodehullvariant spelling
Boothrecorded with Woodhull, same area
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
Oxfordshire Archives, Oxford City Council Records (1574)
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crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
