The surname Williams sometimes means the same as Williamson, while it sometimes denotes other dependants-servants, daughters, wives, and so on. All come from the first name William. This name is of Old Germanic origin, coming originally from the name Willahelm. This is formed from the words ‘wilja’ meaning ‘will’ and ‘helm’ meaning ‘protection’. Thus the name was probably first given as a kind of talisman of hoped-for traits.

As the Old German name spread, it became Normanised to Willelm. (In French it also became Guillaume, and as such gave rise to the English name Gillam). Compare Gaulter, Gautier for Walter, under Watson.

Following the Norman Conquest, William quickly became the most popular first name in the land, only being superseded by John in the middle of the twelfth century. Since then it has remained as one of our most popular first names, and has been the name of four kings. (Only Edward, Henry and George are more popular royal names.) As one might expect, this popular first name gave rise to a number of diminutives and variations. Most of these have spawned their own variant surnames. Thus the diminutive Wylymot gives the surname Wilmot, and Willet and Willot arise similarly. The diminutive Wilkin gives Wilkins and Wilkinson, and the shortened form Will (for many years the most popular pet version, as in Will Shakespeare) gives us Wills and Wilson.

The name Williams is widespread throughout the land, but has special popularity in Wales. At the end of the last century one in every fourteen Welsh farmers was called Williams.

The earliest mention of Williams as a surname appears in the Domesday Book. Here in the records for 1086 one Robertus filius Willelmi is mentioned.

Ellen Cicely Wilkinson (1891—1947) was an English politician, labour organiser and suffragette who led the famous 1936 ‘Jarrow Crusade’ as MP for the northern town of Jarrow, whose shipyard had been closed down in the Depression. Thousands of unemployed Geordies marched to London in a fruitless bid to obtain help from the government. Ellen Wilkinson died in office as Minister of Education, the first woman to hold that post.

One Williams has been Lord Mayor of London: Sir John Williams (1735).

William Carlos Williams (1883—1963) was one of America’s greatest twentieth-century poets. In an era when Bohemian exile was the rule, Williams was an exception. As a home-town family doctor, his influential verse mirrored this practical streak and his love of everyday events.

Those great ‘golden oldie’ hits Your Cheatin’ Heart and Hey, Good Lookin’ were composed by the celebrated American country and western singer, Hank Williams (1923—53). Hank’s style has played an influential role in much modern popular music.

The first fighting tank, manufactured by William Foster and Company of Lincoln, was nicknamed ‘Big Willie’.

The United Kingdom has one town and one body of water related to this surname: Williamscot and Williams lake. Canada has 4 namesake towns while the United States has 24, including 5 called Williams. Australia also has a Williams as well as a Williamsburg. Geographic Williams’s are fairly common, with rivers in Canada (2) and Australia as well as mountains in these two countries, while the Bahamas includes a Williams Island.

With about 451,000 namesakes Williams is the 3rd most popular surname in England and Wales. (The name is not common enough throughout Scotland to be counted separately.) Williams is notably popular in and around Cardiff where an estimated one in about 35 families bears the name. In decending numerical order Liverpool, Bristol and Birmingham are other Williams strongholds. Around the world Williams’s are most common in Canberra (one in 232 families), Wellington (one in 237) and Sydney (one in 247). The United States has more Williams’s than the entire population of Merseyside-an estimated total of just over 1,646,000 makes this their 3rd most popular surname.

The name dates back to the ancient root word ‘willahelm’ which meant ‘a willing man with a helmet’ (i.e. protection). This word is largely intact today in the Germanic countries as Willem and Wilhelm. In Normandy it becomes Guillem. By the time of the Norman invasion of our country, this had become today’s Guillaume. The name, along with Robert, Richard and John, was widely adopted in preference to Old English first names.

By the twelfth century derivations on William had become the most popular of all first names, accounting for fully 10 per cent of the entire male population registered on one of the rolls. Thus, early on, as efforts were made to distinguish one Will from another, the name was already destined to give rise to many of today’s most popular surnames.

By 1324 we were getting close to today’s name. That year’s Court of Roles at the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire records a Robert Willeson. The first recorded Wilson per se was also in Yorkshire: Robert Wilson at Kirkstall in 1341.

Thereafter, during Henry IV’s reign from the end of the fourteenth century onwards the ‘-son’ ending was much in vogue. This was notably true in the north of the country.

Ever since, the fairly formal straightforward Wilson has predominated in the north, while in our southern counties less formal pet names gave rise to the diminutives Wilcocks and Wilkin, derived from the Dutch word ‘ken’ which means ‘to know’.

The first record we have of the name in its formative stages is in the Domesday Book of 1086 which refers to a Robertus filius Willelmi (Robert son of William).

‘A week is a long time in politics’ was a saying coined by Harold Wilson (b. 1916), one of Britain’s longest-serving Prime Ministers. Earlier in his career he was the youngest Cabinet Minister since Pitt. Another great political Wilson was the American President, Woodrow Wilson (1856—1924). After the Allied victory in World War I, he master-minded the Versailles Peace Conference for which he was dubbed ‘the architect of world peace’. During his last years in office he was a bed-ridden recluse and, unknown to the public, the affairs of state were virtually run by his wife.

Wilson’s Disease is a hereditary condition leading to degenera­tion of the brain tissues.

Wilson’s Promontory, the southernmost point on Australia’s mainland, is named after Thomas Wilson, an English merchant. It boasts over 700 species of plants.

Eighteenth-century English mathematician John Wilson gave his name to Wilson’s Theorem, the statement that sets criteria for what are natural prime numbers.

Sir Erasmus Wilson, early nineteenth-century surgeon and noted specialist on skin diseases, spent the vast wealth his practice brought him on charitable bequests and the promo­tion of Egyptian research. He paid £10,000 to have Cleopatra’s Needle brought to London in 1878.

The United Kingdom has 3 towns which are related-2 Wilsons and a Wilsontown. Canada has one, the curiously named Wilson’s Prom, while the United States has 12 of which 9 are Wilsons. Australia has but one-Wilson Cliffs. Canada, the United States and Australia have Wilson lakes and rivers while the US has 3 Mount Wilsons including California’s with its world-famed observatory. Australia also has a Wilson mountain.

With about 231,000 namesakes Wilson is the 11th most popular surname in England and Wales. There are over 46.000 Wilsons in Scotland where it is 3rd in popularity. In Ireland it is estimated that with about 14,000, Wilson is the 26th most popular surname. Wilson is notably popular in and around Edinburgh where an estimated one in about 95 families bears the name. In descending numerical order Glasgow, Teesside and Leeds are other Wilson strongholds. Around the world Wilsons are most common in Canberra (one in 230 families), Wellington (one in 237) and Auckland (one in 253). The United States has more Wilsons than the entire population of Leeds-an estimated total of just over 831.000 makes this their 10th most popular surname.