English surname
Son of Will
Patronymic surname (from a father's name)
Wilson is a patronymic meaning 'son of Will', Will being a short form of William. The name is especially common in northern England and Scotland. It became hereditary in the 14th century as the given name William remained extremely popular.
Related forms include Willson and Wilsone. Wilson is now one of the most frequent surnames in the English-speaking world, a direct consequence of the enduring popularity of William and its diminutives.
Build a family tree with everyone's actual names, photos and relationships.
Son of Will. From Will, a short form of William, plus "-son".
Wilson 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.
No account or personal details are required to look up a surname's meaning - this page is static reference content.