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 1,536
Agricultural Labourer 373
Labourer 218
House Servant 204
Coal Miner 160
Dress Maker 153
Servant 129
Carter 82
Carpenter 70
General Servant 67
House Keeper 65
Laundress 60
Slate Quarrier 59
Tailor 58
Blacksmith 58
Shoe Maker 52
House Maid 51
Collier 49
Farmer 48
Domestic Servant 46
Cook 44
Nurse 34
Iron Miner 32
Porter 31
Miner 30

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

Did you know?

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

Search for the William family