UNDERWOOD
The name Underwood emerged as a notable English
name in Nottinghamshire, where they
were seated from very ancient times, before
and after the Norman Conquest in 1066.
There were several noble families with the
Underwood name both in England and Ireland.
The Coats of Arms are all strikingly similar.
The earliest trace of the name in documents is
found as far back as 1177 in the Pedigree
of Underwood of Bixley, Norfolk, in the Harleian
Manuscript in the British Museum.
According to genealogical scholars there
were four primary sources for second names as
follows: Occupation, Location, Father's
name, and Personal Characteristics. As the early
population grew people began to take a second
name to distinguish one "John" from another
"John" in the same villiage. The Underwood
name appears to be locational in origin, and is
believed to be associated with the English,
meaning, "one who came from Underwood (within
a forest)." In the archives it has
been recorded as Underwoods, Underwoode, Underwode,
Underwod, and Undirwode. These changes
in spelling even occurred between father and son.
From century to century the spellings changed.
(The Underwood Families of America by Dr.
Lucius Marcus Underwood.)
Underwood: From the small place named Underwood
in the parish of Symington,Ayrshire. John
Vndirwode, who served on an inquest made
at Prestwick in 1470, is probably the John Vndirvode,
burgess of the same burgh in the same year
(Prestwick, p. 2, 12). Ondirwode 1507, Ondirwodd
1528, Vndirwod and Wndirwod 1470, Vndirwode
1486, Wndirwod 1476.
(Black's Surnames of Scotland, pp. 788-789)
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