WILLIAM
William
William is a widely popular surname of Old French and Old German origin, derived from the personal name "William". The name "William" itself is a combination of the Old Germanic elements "wil" meaning 'will' or 'desire', and "helm" meaning 'helmet' or 'protection'.
Distribution
The surname William is most commonly found in the United Kingdom, particularly in England and Wales. It has historically been a prevalent surname among the British population.
Famous Bearers
Notable bearers of the surname William include:
- Prince William: The Duke of Cambridge and second in line to the British throne, son of Prince Charles and Princess Diana.
- William Shakespeare: The renowned English playwright and poet, widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the English language.
- William the Conqueror: The first Norman King of England, who successfully invaded England in 1066 and established Norman rule.
Variants
Variants of the surname William include Williamson and Williams, which are also common in the British Isles.
The surname William carries with it a rich history and a strong presence in British culture, making it a significant and recognisable name within the British community.
There are approximately 2,014 people named William in the UK. That makes it roughly the 4,197th most common surname in Britain. Around 31 in a million people in Britain are named William.
Typical given names associated with the surname
Male
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Richard
- Robert
- Stephen
- William
Female
- Catherine
- Elizabeth
- Helen
- Jean
- Joan
- Karen
- Margaret
- Mary
- Maxine
- Sarah
- Susan
- Sylvia
- Tracey
- Victoria
- Wendy
Similar and related surnames
- Gilliam
- Gilliatt
- Guilliam
- Tilson
- Woolcock
- Wilcockson
- Wilkinson
- Wilkins
- Wilkin
- Wilcock
- Willcock
- Willcocks
- Wilcox
- Wilkie
- Willcox
- Wille
- Wilcoxon
- Wiliam
- Wiilliams
- Wiiliams
- Whilliams
- Willia
- Williama
- Williame
- Whillam
- Wilam
- Wiliams
- Wiliiams
- Wililiams
- Wilim
- Willam
- Williaman
- Williamas
- Williames
- Williamis
- Williamon
- Williams
- Williamsn
- Willian
- Willians
- Williany
- Willias
- Willieme
- Williiams
- Willim
- Willimas
- Willliams
- Willyams
- Wilyams
- Wyllyams
- Willaims
- Willams
- Willem
- Willham
- Willi
- Williamott
- Williamsen
- Williamsom
- Williamson
- Williats
- Williatt
- Willifame
- Willilams
- Williman
- Willims
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.