Nelms
An English surname usually explained as a shortened form of Nelson, or sometimes as a variant of Nelmes.
The #4,833 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 42,277 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The strongest historical explanation treats Nelms as a reduced form of Nelson, meaning "son of Neil" or, less likely, "son of Nell." In older records and surname dictionaries, the final -s is taken as a genitive or plural-style ending added to a short base name such as Nelm or Nels. Some writers also group Nelms with Nelmes as a related variant, but the main sense remains a surname built from a personal name rather than a place or occupation.
History
The name is recorded in English sources by the late medieval period in forms connected with Nelson, and later appears as Nelms or Nelmes in parish and census material. Modern distribution notes from surname studies place it especially in parts of western England, including Gloucestershire and Herefordshire, with scattered occurrences elsewhere. In the United States it is uncommon but established, likely carried by English emigrant lines.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
A 1912 surname dictionary explicitly treated Nelms as a form of Nelson with an added -s ending, which is why the name often sits right beside Nelmes in older reference works.
From the historical record
“NELMESl = Nelm(e, q.v., with the genit., NELMS J aiid pi., -s suffix. NELSON I Nel's or Neil's Son : v. Neil. 2 Nell's Son : v. NelP. Thomas Nellson. — Yorhs Poll-Tax, A.D. 1379. Thomas Nelson. —”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)