Origin of William


Recorded in over two hundred spellings and found throughout Europe, this is a surname of Germanic origins. These spellings include: Wilhelm Wilham, Wilharm (German), William, Williams, Welliam, Gilliam, Gwilliam (English, Scottish, Irish, and Welsh), Guilaume, Willaume, Willeme (French), Guillermo, Guillen (Spanish), Vielmi, Vigietti, Biglietti, Lemmo (Italian), and many others. It was introduced into England and Scotland around the time of the Norman Conquest of 1066, and was carried by four English kings.

The derivation is from the pre 7th century personal name "Wilhelm" composed of the elements "wil", meaning "of strong mind", and "helm", translating literally as helmet, but in this context meaning "protection". As a patronymic the short form of "s", meaning "son of", is often added. Political correctness is not a new phenomena, and after the accession of King William 1st in 1066, the name became the most popular British personal name, and with the creation of surnames from the 12th century, an equally popular surname. The list of prominent holders of the surname is almost endless, but one of the more unusual could be said to be the famous republican Oliver Cromwell, who "reigned" in England from 1650 to 1658, and whose family were formerly called Williams. They held extensive estates in Wales, but under instructions from King Henry V111 (1510 - 1547), the family name was changed to Cromwell. The first recorded spelling of the family name anywhere in the world is believed to be that of Richard William. This was dated 1279, in the "Hundred Rolls" of the county of Oxfordshire, England.

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The surname William. Genealogy, origin, history, meaning, and significance

Discovering the historical roots of william is deeply interesting, as it takes us back to the ancestors and relatives who established this lineage.

The surname William around the world

Although surnames have a specific origin at a certain time and region of the planet, many of them have spread far and wide across the world for various reasons, as is the case with the surname william.

History of William

The historical chronicle of william is based on a striking series of events that were led by those who have carried this surname throughout history.

We suggest that if you want to learn more about the surname william, try to locate it through the bibliographic sources we suggest.

Notable Figures Named William

It's more than likely that there have been some distinguished williams throughout human history. It is our desire to highlight in this section those individuals with the surname william who, for various reasons, have left their mark on the course of history.

The surname William and its bibliographic sources

Thanks to a significant bibliographic review, we have so far compiled information on the heraldry, history, and genealogy of william.

SOURCES

These sources are essential for initiating the understanding of william, and at the same time, of surnames in general.

  1. Willam
  2. Willham
  3. Williama
  4. Williame
  5. Willian
  6. Willim
  7. Wiliam
  8. Williamu
  9. Wlliam
  10. Wiiliam
  11. Wilham
  12. Willame
  13. Willan
  14. Willem
  15. Willin
  16. Wollam
  17. Willhem
  18. Wilian
  19. Willma
  20. Williana
  21. Willieme
  22. Williane
  23. Wuiliam
  24. Willm
  25. Wilim
  26. Wallan
  27. Wallem
  28. Wallin
  29. Walline
  30. Wallum
  31. Welham
  32. Wellin
  33. Wielin
  34. Wilhem
  35. Wilini
  36. Willaime
  37. Willaume
  38. Willen
  39. Williammee
  40. Willnow
  41. Wilm
  42. Wollan
  43. Wollin
  44. Wollum
  45. Woolam
  46. Wylam
  47. Willane
  48. Wilma
  49. Wilheim
  50. Wilain