Woolsey
A surname with several possible roots, most likely a place-name linked to “wold” or a wool-related nickname or occupational name.
The #5,049 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 44,430 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The old surname books give more than one explanation for Woolsey. One line of thought treats it as a locational name from elements meaning “wold” or open upland ground plus “ley,” meaning a clearing or meadow. Other writers connect it with wool, either as an occupational name for someone dealing in wool or as a nickname formed from the same root.
History
The name appears in historical spellings such as Wolsey and Woolsey, and was treated by some 19th-century writers as a variant of Wolsey. It is uncommon but long established in English-speaking records, with later bearers especially visible in the United States. The surname has also been associated in older onomastic works with wool-related commercial and descriptive surnames.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In older surname dictionaries, Woolsey is sometimes grouped with a cluster of other “wool” names such as Woollen, Woolcock, and Woolworth.
From the historical record
“o, o, o, o, I, I, I. Woolsey ; v. Wobey. Woolstenoroft, -holme; v. Wolstencroft, -holme. Woolston, WoolBOD, Wol-”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (alternate scan)