BLACKWOOD
Blackwood is a surname of both Scottish and English provenance, reflecting a Celtic heritage within the British Isles. The name is locational, signifying that early bearers resided near or within a wooded area characterised by its dark appearance. Its etymology derives from the Old English words blaec, meaning “black”, and wudu, meaning “wood”. Thus the surname literally denotes a dweller at a dark forest.
The earliest documentary evidence of the name appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire, where William de Blacwode is recorded in 1327 during the reign of King Edward III. In Scotland, the first known namebearer is Robert Blakwode, noted as discharged from prison in London in 1384. Subsequent recorded individuals include Andrew Blackwud, bailie of Perth in 1532, and Adam Blackwood, a member of the Privy Council of Mary, Queen of Scots from 1542 to 1567. In the early eighteenth century, Susan Blackwood appears as a resident of Virginia, indicating the name’s early migration to the New World.
The surname is associated with several places bearing the same name, notably in the East Riding of Yorkshire, as well as the lands of Blackwood in Lanarkshire and Dumfriesshire. These locations, named for their dark woodlands, became the source for the surname in both England and Scotland. The use of the name in Ireland is sometimes a result of anglicising Gaelic surnames derived from dubh, the Irish word for “black”.
Following the expansion of the British Empire, the Blackwood name spread to other parts of the world. Bearers of the surname can now be found in English‑speaking countries such as the United Kingdom – where the highest concentrations remain in Scotland and Northern Ireland – as well as in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Several spelling variants have arisen over the centuries, including Blackwode, Blakewood, Bleckwood, and Blaikwood. Some branches have adopted phonetic spellings such as Blackwoud or Blaikwood. In areas of German or Italian influence, historical documents occasionally record equivalents like Schwarzwald or Bosconero, though these are not widely accepted as direct derivatives of the original name.
Notable individuals bearing the surname include Basil Blackwood, whose work in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries contributed to the name’s recognition, and Caroline Blackwood, whose literary career in the mid‑twentieth century further highlighted the surname on the international stage.
Typical given names associated with the Blackwood surname
Male
- Alan
- Andrew
- David
- Ian
- James
- John
- Michael
- Robert
- Thomas
- William
Female
- Angela
- Elizabeth
- Helen
- Jayne
- Jean
- Karen
- Linda
- Louise
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Rachel
- Rebecca
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Blackwood in...
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There are approximately 4,653 people named Blackwood in the UK. That makes it roughly the 2,025th most common surname in Britain. Around 71 in a million people in Britain are named Blackwood.
Surname type: Location or geographical feature
Origin: Celtic
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: Scotland
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Gaelic
Famous people named Blackwood
- Caitlin Blackwood - Actress
- Richard Blackwood - Comedian
- Nicola Blackwood - Politician
- Algernon Blackwood - Short story writer and novelist (1869 to 1951)
- Vas Blackwood - Actor
- Sarah Blackwood - Musician
- Adam Blackwood - Actor
- Anton Blackwood - Football player
- William Blackwood - Scottish publisher (1776 to 1834)
- Michael Blackwood - Football player
- Francis Blackwood, 10th Baron Dufferin and Claneboye - Irish noble (1916 to 1991)
- Henry Blackwood - Royal Navy officer (1770 to 1832)
- John Blackwood - Scottish football player
- Bobby Blackwood - Scottish football player (1934 to 1997)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.