Wilkinson
A classic English patronymic surname meaning “son of Wilkin,” with Wilkin itself coming from William.
The #634 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 5,745 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Wilkinson is an English patronymic surname built from the medieval personal name Wilkin plus the suffix -son, meaning “son of.” Wilkin was a pet form of William, ultimately from a Germanic name meaning roughly “resolute protector” or “strong-willed protector.” In effect, Wilkinson originally meant “son of Wilkin,” and by extension “descendant of William.”
History
The surname is well attested in medieval English records, including 14th- and 15th-century examples from Yorkshire and Chester cited by later surname scholars. It has long been established in England and then spread widely through Britain and overseas, especially to North America. Modern bearers may also inherit the name through later spelling stability from older forms such as Wilkynson or Wickinson-like variants.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
19th-century surname writers repeatedly grouped Wilkinson with other William-based names like Wilkins, Wilkes, Wilkin, and Wilson because all come from the same root name.
From the historical record
“WILKINS, Wilkin's (Son) 1 ,,,.,,. WILKINSON, Wilkin's Son / "■ '""Kin- Christopher Wilkyns. — MSS. Dn. & Ch. Wells, A.D. 1546-7. Adam Wylkynson. — Yorks Poll-Tax, A.D. 1379. Richard Wilkynson, baxter. Nicholas Wilkynson, sherman, alias Nicholas Shermon. — Chester Freemen Rolls, A.D. 1474-5.”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)Notable people named Wilkinson
- Tom Wilkinson (1948–2023)
- Geoffrey Wilkinson (1921–1996)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.