Pronunciation Williams | ||
Region of origin England, Wales, Cornwall, France Related names |
Williams is a patronymic form of the name William that originated in medieval England and Wales. 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. 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.
Earliest usage
The earliest recorded use of the surname;
in the form of Willam is from 1279 in Oxfordshire,in the form of William is from 1299 in Whitby, Yorkshire,in the form of Williames is from 1307 in Staffordshire.References
Williams (surname) Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA