Woodson is an English surname meaning "son of Wood", a byname for someone who lived by or worked in a "wood" or forest. Its most notable American bearer is Carter G. Woodson, the historian who founded Negro History Week in 1926, the forerunner of Black History Month. As a first name Woodson ranked number 10308 in 2000, climbed into the 3000s during the 2010s and reaches its best rank, number 2450, in 2025 with 56 boys.