Wilkey
A surname most likely built from a medieval personal name with the familiar English -ey/-y ending, rather than from a place or trade.
The #7,909 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 73,810 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Wilkey is generally understood as an English surname formed from a shortened personal name, most likely from Willey, Wilkie, or a similar pet form of William or another Wil- name. The final -ey/-y ending can function as a diminutive or familiar surname ending in English naming. In plain terms, it likely began as a family name meaning something like “descendant of Wilk/Wilkie” or “son of William,” though the exact base form is not certain.
History
The name is recorded in early modern London parish registers, including forms such as Wilkey and Wylkie, which suggests a long-standing but relatively uncommon English surname. The spellings vary because surnames were not yet standardized, and clerks often wrote names phonetically. Today it remains an uncommon surname in the United States and Britain.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The historical spellings show how easily one family name could drift between Wilkey and Wilkie before spelling became fixed.
From the historical record
“1661-4. Baried— Snanna, wife of James Wilkey: St Diosii Backchsrch (London), p. 334. 1756. Uarried— Alei.WylkiEandMai7 Francis ! St Geo. Han. Sq. 1. 6a.”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with special American instances