William Name Origin, Meaning and Family History

William Name Meaning: This surname comes from the german name 'Wilhelm' the name itself comprises of 'wil'meaning desire or will and 'helm' meaning helmet/protection.

An Anglo-Norman surname which became popular after after the Norman conquest.

Discover how your William ancestors earned their living and spread across the country. Find out more about your family history by using the Free Search box.

Surname Distribution

Census frequency by county

Name Concentrations Within England and Wales

William Surname Statistics


Top Professions for the William family

Profession Census Frequency
Scholar 820
House Servant 266
Agricultural Labourer 235
Labourer 213
At Home 183
Farm Labourer 108
Servant 106
Collier 102
Dress Maker 93
Farm Servant 93
General Servant 69
Pauper 66
Carpenter 64
Coal Miner 64
Shoe Maker 59
Tailor 54
Miner 52
Blacksmith 46
Wife 42
Annuitant 41
Farmer 39
House Keeper 39
Quarry Man 37
Mason 35
Laundress 34

William Surname Variants Ranking

Rank Surname Match Census Frequency
1 William 100% 94,374
2 Woollam 57% 1,487
3 Willam 86% 803
4 Wallam 71% 304
5 Wellum 57% 173
6 Wollam 71% 151
7 Wellam 71% 134
8 Wollom 57% 127
9 Wiliam 86% 110

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The surname William is the most popular version of all its varients

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