Williams (surname)

Williams is a patronymic form of the name William that originated in medieval England, Wales, France, and Italy.[2] The meaning is derived from son or descendant of William, the Northern French form that also gave the English name William. Derived from an Old French given name with Germanic elements; will = desire, will; and helm = helmet, protection.[3] It is the second most common surname in New Zealand; third most common in Wales and the United States and fourth most common in Australia.[1][4]

Williams
Pronunciation/ˈwɪljəmz/
Language(s)English, Norman, and Italian
Origin
Meaningderived from Son of William
Region of originEngland, Wales, Cornwall, France, and Italy
Other names
Variant form(s)William, Willimon, Williman, Williamson, Wilhelm
Frequency Comparisons[1]

Earliest recorded usage
  • Willam is from 1279 in Oxfordshire.[5]
  • William is from 1299 in Whitby, Yorkshire.[2]
  • Williames is from 1307 in Staffordshire.[6]

See also

Notes
  1. Williams Surname at Forebears
  2. Reaney & Wilson p.493
  3. "The Meaning and Origin of the Surname Williams"
  4. United States Census Bureau (9 May 1995). s:1990 Census Name Files dist.all.last (1-100). Retrieved on 25 February 2008.
  5. Reaney & Wilson p.493, sourced from the Rotuli Hundredorum 1812, 1818
  6. Reaney & Wilson p.493, sourced from the Staffordshire Assize Rolls

References

PH Reaney & RM Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames:The Standard Guide to English Surnames, Oxford University Press, 1995, ISBN 0-19-863146-4.

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