Williamson
A classic patronymic surname meaning “son of William.”
The #267 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 2,686 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Williamson is an English patronymic surname formed from the personal name William plus the suffix -son, literally meaning “son of William.” The given name William ultimately comes from Old French Guillaume, from a Germanic name built on elements meaning “will, desire” and “helmet, protection.” In medieval English naming, such surnames often began as simple identifiers and later became hereditary family names.
History
The name is widespread in England and Scotland and appears early in records as a straightforward patronymic. Historical surname writers consistently treat it as one of the standard “son of William” names, alongside forms like Wilson and Johnson. It remains common in the English-speaking world, especially in Britain, North America, Australia, and New Zealand.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In older surname dictionaries, Williamson is often grouped with many other family names built from the father’s given name, making it one of the clearest examples of an English patronymic.
From the historical record
“WILLIAMS, William's (Sou) "1 WILLIAMSON, William's Son J WILLICOMBE = Wellicombe, q.v. William. Willie WILLIE I = Will',', q.v. + the N.E. and Scot, dim. suff. -ie.”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)Notable people named Williamson
- Oliver E. Williamson (1932–2020)
- Marianne Williamson (b. 1952)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.