WATTS
The surname Watts is principally English in origin, with its earliest attestations recorded in the British Isles, particularly in England. It is a patronymic name derived from the medieval personal name Watt, itself a diminutive of Walter. The given name Walter was introduced to England and Scotland by the Normans and is composed of the Germanic elements wald (to rule) and heri (army), thereby conveying the meaning “ruler of the army”.
In addition to its patronymic development, the surname may derive from a topographic or locational source. The Middle English word watt signified a small hill or mound, and settlements bearing the name Watt or Watts were often situated near wet or marshy ground. Consequently, some bearers of the name may have been identified by residence at such a place, giving rise to a locational surname.
Historical records reveal a variety of orthographic forms, including Watt, Walt, Wattin, Watson, Wattins, Wattis and Watts. The earliest known spelling is William Wattes, found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1279 during the reign of King Edward I. In Scotland the name is closely associated with Aberdeenshire, where a “Wat of Carnegy” appears in 1446, and the Watts of Rosehill were noted as supporters of King James VI in 1596. The surname has also been documented abroad, for example the settler David Watt, a landowner in Christchurch, Barbados, in 1680.
Heraldic evidence indicates that the name has been represented by at least sixteen distinct coats of arms. One such grant belongs to Francis Watts of Vincent Square, Westminster, described as “Ermine, two lions argent, on a chief gules, three arrows conjoined”, with a crest of a silver greyhound sejant. These heraldic and documentary sources attest to the multifaceted origins and the widespread distribution of the surname Watts across England, Scotland and the early British colonies.
Typical given names associated with the Watts surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- John
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Richard
- Robert
- Stephen
Female
- Christine
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Helen
- Jane
- Linda
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Rebecca
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Watt
- Watson
- Watkins
- Walter
- Wattson
- Waits
- Wates
- Waites
- Waitt
- Wat
- Waitz
- Wate
- Wait
- Waite
- Waight
- Waitte
- Watta
- Wadas
- Wadds
- Wades
- Wadez
- Wads
- Waght
- Waights
- Wathes
- Waths
- Waties
- Wats
- Watsh
- Watso
- Watte
- Wattes
- Wattey
- Watti
- Wattie
- Wattiez
- Wattis
- Watto
- Wattoo
- Wattts
- Watty
- Watz
- Wauds
- Wayt
- Wayte
- Waytes
- Waytt
- Weat
- Weate
- Weats
- Weddis
- Weddows
- Weeds
- Weets
- Weetus
- Weids
- Weites
- Weitz
- Weitze
- Wett
- Wetts
- Wetz
- Whait
- Whaite
- Whaites
- Whaits
- What
- Whate
- Whates
- Whats
- Whatt
- Whatts
- Wheat
- Wheates
- Wheats
- Whites
- Whits
- Whittesi
- Whitts
- Widdas
- Widdes
- Widdess
- Widdis
- Widdous
- Widdows
- Widdus
- Widduss
- Wides
- Widows
- Witas
- Wites
- Witos
- Wits
- Wittes
- Witts
- Witz
- Woddis
- Wodds
- Wods
- Wodz
- Wooddisse
- Wooddissee
- Woodes
- Woodess
- Woodice
- Woodis
- Woodiss
- Woodisse
- Woods
- Woodus
- Woots
- Wotts
- Wouts
- Wuyts
- Wattass
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Watts in...
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Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Watts are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Hobnob.
There are approximately 46,319 people named Watts in the UK. That makes it the 152nd most common surname in Britain. Around 711 in a million people in Britain are named Watts.
Surname type: From name of parent
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Watts
- Naomi Watts - Actress and film producer
- Alan Watts - Philosopher, writer and speaker (1915 to 1973)
- Charlie Watts - Drummer of The Rolling Stones
- Murder of Becky Watts - Student (1998 to 2015)
- Peter Watts - Road manager and sound engineer (1946 to 1976)
- George Frederic Watts - Painter and sculptor (1817 to 1904)
- James Watts - Politician (1903 to 1961)
- Isaac Watts - Hymnwriter, theologian and logician (1674 to 1748)
- Lou Watts -
- Queenie Watts - Actress (1926 to 1980)
- Steve Watts - Football player
- Gwendolyn Watts - Actress (1932 to 2000)
- John Watts - Musician and multimedia artist
- Robert Watts - Film producer
- Pete Overend Watts - Musician (1948 to 2017)
- Philip Watts - Seismologist
- John Watts - Army officer (1930 to 2003)
- Susan Watts - Journalist
- Raymond Watts - Musician
- Helen Watts - Welsh opera singer (1927 to 2009)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.