Windsor
A locational surname meaning “from Windsor,” the famous Berkshire town, probably from an old name for the Thames bank or shore there.
The #4,652 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 40,512 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Windsor is a locational surname taken from the English town of Windsor in Berkshire. Early spellings point to an Old English form like Wendlesora/Windlesora, usually explained as meaning “Wendel’s shore” or “shore by the winding river-bank,” with the second element referring to a bank or shore. The surname simply identified someone who came from, lived near, or held land at Windsor.
History
Medieval records show the place-name in forms such as Wyndesore and Windesore, and the surname appears later as a straightforward local byname. It became better known through the aristocratic Windsor family, whose lineage was traditionally linked to the castellan of Windsor in the Norman period. The name also spread into a number of minor spelling variants, reflecting normal medieval variation in English record-keeping.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Windsor is one of those surnames that is also a royal place-name: the town gave its name to the British royal House of Windsor in the 20th century.
From the historical record
“WINDROSS for Winderhouse, q.v. WINDSOR (Eng.) Bel. to Windsor, 13th cent. Wyndesore, Windelsor, &c., the Domesday Windesores, A.-Sax. Wendlesora = Wen- del's Shore [for the pers. name Wendel see under Wend(e" + O.E. dra, a bank, shore] WINDUS for Windhouse, q.v. WINDUST for WIndus, Windhouse, q.v.”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)