English surname
Son of William
Patronymic surname (from a father's name)
Williams is a patronymic meaning 'son of William'. William, from the Germanic elements wil 'will, desire' and helm 'helmet, protection', was introduced by the Normans and quickly became one of the most common given names in England. The '-s' ending is a genitive form equivalent to 'son of'.
The surname is especially frequent in Wales and the English border counties, where the patronymic system remained strong. It is also common throughout the English-speaking world. Related forms include Williamson and Wills.
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Son of William. From the Norman-introduced given name William plus the patronymic "-s".
Williams is a English-origin surname. Popularity varies widely by country and region, and the same surname can be common in one place and rare in another.
Yes. Surnames, especially occupational and descriptive ones like this, were often adopted independently by many unrelated families who happened to share a trade, appearance, or location.
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