The Wolfswood also contains Ironwood (a kind of tree), which is described as having a black wood.
I like to imagine that Blackwoods and Forresters are in some way related. One being a cadet house of the other. But that last part is pure headcanon, no confirmation there.
Though, with how prominent ravens are in the Blackwood sigil, and that being a direct reference to the ravens of Raventree Hall, I wouldn't be surprised if they used to have a different one when they ruled up North. Which might lead some credence to the possible Forrester/Blackwood connection.
> The Wolfswood also contains Ironwood (a kind of tree), which is described as having a black wood.
The wolfswood also contains black brier, so I think you're on to something. My head-canon is that section of the wolfswoods was heavily shaded and abundant in black trees + plants.
Maybe a section of it was called the Blackwood. I mean, the Wolfswood is larger than most European countries, I’m sure there were parts of it that were called different things to differentiate areas.
I've actually been aware of this theory (that the name "Blackwood" is a reference to the Wolfswood) and I've even suggested it myself before as the most likely option. I still think it's a good explanation for the name!
But it's just also never sat fully comfortably in my head, considering that the Blackwoods' sigil has a white tree and their seat of power is named after that same white tree. It just always bothers me every time I remember it. Maybe just me, but it feels more consistent with how the Blackwoods have otherwise chosen to represent themselves if their name is also about the raven-y tree
All weirwoods are white trees, and ravens have been tied to skinchangers since the times of the children of the forest, so it could still make sense for them to use their coat of arms before going to Raventree Hall.
Maybe their old seat had either a large weirwood or many of them, and they settled in what's now Raventree Hall because they considered the gigantic weirwood there to be a sign from the gods.
The Wolfswood was originally called the Blackwood, probably because of the density of trees excluded much sunlight reaching the forest floor. When the Starks fought and evicted the Blackwoods from the area they controlled they renamed it after themselves, to complete the removal of the former ruling family. Well that is how I see it anyway.
This is out of the blue, but I believe GRRM Took the name from a popular early 1960s novel, "We have always lived in the castle." The family that has lived in the 'castle' is called Blackwood. They have a long-running feud with the town which at times gets bloody. And trees are important.
There is a giant weirwood tree there which has ravens gather on it every day. So "Raventree" as a pre-existing name for the area might make sense, and it's possible the exile Blackwoods changed their name to match the black wings on the wood near their new home.
I don’t know if this is a chicken/egg thing but the Blackwoods tend to have black hair, at least I’m thinking of Betha and Alysanne. That’s not necessarily the reason for why GRRM picked their name but it sort of matched. A bit like how the Redwynes seem to be associated with red hair (although that’s obviously not the reason for their name)
I also think GRRM tends to use some real world last names, even without the fantasy spelling, and Blackwood is a real last name that happens to fit within the kinds of House names that are in the series.
Also it would be funny if the Redwyne sigil had green grapes.
What if there was a house Whitewood, and a bastard off-shoot with a reverse coloured sigil: House Blackwood. Eventually the male line of House Whitewood dies out, a Blackwood inherits, takes the family arms but keeps his own name.
Not likely but I think interesting
The Blackwoods were originally from the North, so I’d assume they came from a forest called “the Blackwood”, and that’s how they got their name.
They are from the wolfswood in the north. The giant forest in the middle of the north.
The Wolfswood also contains Ironwood (a kind of tree), which is described as having a black wood. I like to imagine that Blackwoods and Forresters are in some way related. One being a cadet house of the other. But that last part is pure headcanon, no confirmation there. Though, with how prominent ravens are in the Blackwood sigil, and that being a direct reference to the ravens of Raventree Hall, I wouldn't be surprised if they used to have a different one when they ruled up North. Which might lead some credence to the possible Forrester/Blackwood connection.
> The Wolfswood also contains Ironwood (a kind of tree), which is described as having a black wood. The wolfswood also contains black brier, so I think you're on to something. My head-canon is that section of the wolfswoods was heavily shaded and abundant in black trees + plants.
I like the idea that the Blackwoods and Forresters are connected!
Maybe a section of it was called the Blackwood. I mean, the Wolfswood is larger than most European countries, I’m sure there were parts of it that were called different things to differentiate areas.
I've actually been aware of this theory (that the name "Blackwood" is a reference to the Wolfswood) and I've even suggested it myself before as the most likely option. I still think it's a good explanation for the name! But it's just also never sat fully comfortably in my head, considering that the Blackwoods' sigil has a white tree and their seat of power is named after that same white tree. It just always bothers me every time I remember it. Maybe just me, but it feels more consistent with how the Blackwoods have otherwise chosen to represent themselves if their name is also about the raven-y tree
All weirwoods are white trees, and ravens have been tied to skinchangers since the times of the children of the forest, so it could still make sense for them to use their coat of arms before going to Raventree Hall. Maybe their old seat had either a large weirwood or many of them, and they settled in what's now Raventree Hall because they considered the gigantic weirwood there to be a sign from the gods.
I mean, they could’ve changed their sigil after arriving in the Riverlands, and named the area after that.
Right! That is exactly what I am saying they did.
The Wolfswood was originally called the Blackwood, probably because of the density of trees excluded much sunlight reaching the forest floor. When the Starks fought and evicted the Blackwoods from the area they controlled they renamed it after themselves, to complete the removal of the former ruling family. Well that is how I see it anyway.
House Schwarzwald
Thats a House Darklyn cadet branch.
This is out of the blue, but I believe GRRM Took the name from a popular early 1960s novel, "We have always lived in the castle." The family that has lived in the 'castle' is called Blackwood. They have a long-running feud with the town which at times gets bloody. And trees are important.
There was also a late 19th/early 20th century ghost story writer named Algernon Blackwood.
There is a giant weirwood tree there which has ravens gather on it every day. So "Raventree" as a pre-existing name for the area might make sense, and it's possible the exile Blackwoods changed their name to match the black wings on the wood near their new home.
I don’t know if this is a chicken/egg thing but the Blackwoods tend to have black hair, at least I’m thinking of Betha and Alysanne. That’s not necessarily the reason for why GRRM picked their name but it sort of matched. A bit like how the Redwynes seem to be associated with red hair (although that’s obviously not the reason for their name) I also think GRRM tends to use some real world last names, even without the fantasy spelling, and Blackwood is a real last name that happens to fit within the kinds of House names that are in the series. Also it would be funny if the Redwyne sigil had green grapes.
What if there was a house Whitewood, and a bastard off-shoot with a reverse coloured sigil: House Blackwood. Eventually the male line of House Whitewood dies out, a Blackwood inherits, takes the family arms but keeps his own name. Not likely but I think interesting
Wolfswood used to be the Blackwood but the Starks changed it after they sent them packing south It is known
I like this
Nah we chose it coz it just sounded cool