Woodruff

Woodruff
This very unusual surname, of Anglo-Saxon origin, can be either a topographical name for someone who lived on a patch or land thickly grown with woodruff, deriving from the Olde English pre 7th Century "wudurofe" meaning "woodruff", or, it may be a nickname for one who used woodruff as a perfume because of its strongly scented leaves. The name dates back to the late 12th Century (see below), and further recordings include: Robert Woderove (1225), in the Assize Court Rolls of Somerset, and Henry Woderoue (1273), in the Subsidy Rolls of Lincolnshire. Variations in the idiom of the spelling include Woodroff, Woodroffe, Woodroof, Woodroofe, Woodrooffe, Woodrough, Woodruffe and Woodrup. John Woodroof was christened on May 7th 1542, at St. Margaret's, Westminster, London, and Mary Woodruff was christened at St. Olave's, Hart Street, also in London, on July 15th 1698. Anne Woodruffe, aged 36 yrs., a famine emigrant, sailed from Liverpool to New York aboard the "Fredonia" in April 1846, together with her three daughters, Betsy (8 yrs.), Ellen (5 yrs.), and Sophia (1 yr.), and her son William (3 yrs.). The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Hugo Wuderove, which was dated 1185, in the "Knight Templars List of Lincolnshire", during the reign of King Henry 11, known as "The Builder of Churches", 1154 - 1189. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Surnames reference. 2013.

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  • Woodruff — ist der Familienname folgender Personen: Blake Woodruff (* 1995), US amerikanischer Kinderschauspieler Bobby Woodruff (* 1940), englischer Fußballspieler Carle Augustus Woodruff (1841–1913), US amerikanischer Armeeoffizier Charles Woodruff… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Woodruff — puede referirse a: Personas Bille Woodruff, un director de cine y vídeos musicales. Bob Woodruff (1961), un periodista de televisión estadounidense. Chris Woodruff (1973), un ex tenista profesional de los Estados Unidos. John Woodruff (1915), un… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Woodruff — Woodruff, SC U.S. city in South Carolina Population (2000): 4229 Housing Units (2000): 1869 Land area (2000): 3.661964 sq. miles (9.484444 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.017927 sq. miles (0.046432 sq. km) Total area (2000): 3.679891 sq. miles… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Woodruff, SC — U.S. city in South Carolina Population (2000): 4229 Housing Units (2000): 1869 Land area (2000): 3.661964 sq. miles (9.484444 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.017927 sq. miles (0.046432 sq. km) Total area (2000): 3.679891 sq. miles (9.530876 sq. km)… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Woodruff, UT — U.S. town in Utah Population (2000): 194 Housing Units (2000): 75 Land area (2000): 0.536856 sq. miles (1.390451 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 0.536856 sq. miles (1.390451 sq. km) FIPS code:… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • woodruff — (also sweet woodruff) ► NOUN ▪ a white flowered plant with sweet scented leaves used to flavour drinks and in perfumery. ORIGIN Old English, from WOOD(Cf. ↑wood) + an element of unknown meaning …   English terms dictionary

  • Woodruff — Wood ruff , Woodroof Wood roof , n. [AS. wudurofe. See {Wood}, n., and cf. {Ruff} a plaited collar.] (Bot.) A little European herb ({Asperula odorata}) having a pleasant taste. It is sometimes used for flavoring wine. See Illust. of {Whorl}.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • woodruff — [wood′rəf] n. [ME woderove < OE wudurofe < wudu,WOOD1 + rofe < ?] any of a genus (Asperula) of plants of the madder family, with small, white, pink, or blue, lily shaped flowers; esp., a European species ( A. odorata) used to flavor wine …   English World dictionary

  • Woodruff — Taxobox name = Woodruff image width = 240px image caption = Woodruff plant in flower regnum = Plantae divisio = Magnoliophyta classis = Magnoliopsida ordo = Gentianales familia = Rubiaceae genus = Galium species = G. odoratum binomial = Galium… …   Wikipedia

  • woodruff — /wood reuhf, ruf /, n. any of several plants belonging to the genus Asperula or Galium, of the madder family, as G. odoratum (sweet woodruff), a fragrant plant with small white flowers. [bef. 1000; ME woderove, OE wudurofe, wudurife, equiv. to… …   Universalium

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