NameCensus.

UK surname

Williams

A patronymic surname meaning "son of William."

In the 1881 census there were 214,615 people recorded with the Williams surname, ranking it #3 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 295,271, also still ranked #3.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Isle of Anglesey and Gwynedd.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Williams is 306,981 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.6%.

1881 census count

214,615

Ranked #3

Modern count

295,271

2016, ranked #3

Peak year

2010

306,981 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Williams had 214,615 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 295,271 in 2016, ranked #3.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 274,464 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Williams surname distribution map

The map shows where the Williams surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Williams surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Williams over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 153,873 #3
1861 historical 156,580 #3
1881 historical 214,615 #3
1891 historical 224,184 #3
1901 historical 256,233 #3
1911 historical 274,464 #3
1997 modern 286,543 #3
1998 modern 298,663 #3
1999 modern 301,913 #3
2000 modern 301,827 #3
2001 modern 292,759 #3
2002 modern 299,232 #3
2003 modern 292,392 #3
2004 modern 292,442 #3
2005 modern 287,928 #3
2006 modern 288,845 #3
2007 modern 291,558 #3
2008 modern 292,571 #3
2009 modern 299,544 #3
2010 modern 306,981 #3
2011 modern 301,133 #3
2012 modern 293,572 #3
2013 modern 299,429 #3
2014 modern 300,634 #3
2015 modern 297,375 #3
2016 modern 295,271 #3

Geography

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Where Williams' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Isle of Anglesey and Gwynedd. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Merthyr Tydfil Glamorganshire
5 Aberdare Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Isle of Anglesey 003 Isle of Anglesey
2 Gwynedd 012 Gwynedd
3 Gwynedd 006 Gwynedd
4 Gwynedd 008 Gwynedd
5 Gwynedd 003 Gwynedd

Forenames

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First names often paired with Williams

These lists show first names that appear often with the Williams surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Williams

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Williams, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Williams surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Williams household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Williams is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Williams is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Williams falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Williams is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Williams, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Williams

The surname Williams is of English and Welsh origin, derived from the given name William. The name William itself is derived from the Germanic elements "wil" meaning "will or desire" and "helm" meaning "helmet or protection." It was introduced to Britain by the Normans after the Norman Conquest in 1066.

In England, the surname Williams emerged as an Anglo-Norman patronymic name, meaning "son of William." It was one of the earliest surnames to be adopted in England, appearing in records as early as the late 11th century. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Willelmus filius Willelmi (William, son of William), who was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086.

In Wales, the name Williams is a patronymic surname derived from the Welsh form of William, which is "Gwilym." The Welsh patronymic naming system added the prefix "ap" (meaning "son of") or the suffix "-s" to a father's name to create a surname. The surname appeared in various spellings, such as ap Gwilym, Gwilym, and Gwilliams, before standardizing as Williams.

Notable historical figures with the surname Williams include:

1. Roger Williams (1603-1683), the founder of Rhode Island and a prominent advocate for religious freedom in colonial America. 2. William Williams (1717-1791), a Welsh hymn writer and author known as the "Watts of Wales." 3. Betsy Williams (1787-1873), a British businesswoman and the founder of the Royal Biscuit Company, later known as Huntley & Palmers. 4. George Williams (1821-1905), the founder of the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA). 5. Hank Williams (1923-1953), an influential American singer-songwriter and one of the pioneers of contemporary country music.

The surname Williams has a rich history dating back to the Middle Ages in both England and Wales. Its widespread use and prominence in various historical records and notable figures reflect its enduring legacy as a common and respected surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Williams families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Williams surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Glamorgan leads with 25,890 Williams' recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.09x.

County Total Index
Glamorgan 25,890 7.09x
Lancashire 18,213 0.73x
Caernarfonshire 17,547 20.68x
Middlesex 13,149 0.63x
Monmouthshire 9,704 6.40x
Denbighshire 9,474 11.95x
Anglesey 8,285 22.28x
Carmarthenshire 7,889 8.92x
Staffordshire 6,978 0.99x
Cornwall 6,800 2.86x
Gloucestershire 5,970 1.45x
Flintshire 5,785 10.26x
Surrey 5,697 0.56x
Cheshire 5,622 1.21x
Merionethshire 5,497 14.31x
Brecknockshire 5,001 11.92x
Shropshire 4,661 2.57x
Pembrokeshire 3,870 5.80x
Devon 3,822 0.87x
Yorkshire 3,819 0.18x
Warwickshire 3,742 0.71x
Kent 3,669 0.51x
Cardiganshire 3,494 6.83x
Herefordshire 3,376 3.92x
Montgomeryshire 2,909 6.05x
Worcestershire 2,847 1.04x
Somerset 2,696 0.80x
Hampshire 2,477 0.58x
Durham 2,008 0.32x
Essex 1,308 0.32x
Sussex 1,209 0.34x
Wiltshire 955 0.51x
Radnorshire 834 4.93x
Berkshire 689 0.44x
Derbyshire 689 0.21x
Oxfordshire 678 0.52x
Northamptonshire 642 0.33x
Dorset 639 0.46x
Lincolnshire 541 0.16x
Nottinghamshire 529 0.19x
Leicestershire 525 0.23x
Norfolk 489 0.15x
Buckinghamshire 485 0.38x
Hertfordshire 482 0.33x
Lanarkshire 446 0.07x
Cumberland 393 0.22x
Suffolk 376 0.15x
Northumberland 282 0.09x
Cambridgeshire 277 0.21x
Midlothian 232 0.08x
Royal Navy 207 0.83x
Channel Islands 206 0.33x
Renfrewshire 184 0.11x
Aberdeenshire 174 0.09x
Bedfordshire 98 0.09x
Angus 74 0.04x
Fife 66 0.05x
Rutland 56 0.36x
Ayrshire 53 0.03x
Isle of Man 51 0.13x
Westmorland 51 0.11x
Huntingdonshire 50 0.12x
Stirlingshire 38 0.05x
East Lothian 37 0.13x
Inverness-shire 35 0.06x
Ross-shire 23 0.04x
Perthshire 19 0.02x
Banffshire 13 0.03x
Shetland 11 0.05x
West Lothian 11 0.03x
Argyllshire 8 0.01x
Morayshire 8 0.02x
Roxburghshire 8 0.02x
Clackmannanshire 7 0.04x
Wigtownshire 7 0.03x
Kincardineshire 5 0.02x
Dumfriesshire 4 0.01x
Dunbartonshire 4 0.01x
Kirkcudbrightshire 4 0.01x
Buteshire 2 0.02x
Peeblesshire 2 0.02x
Selkirkshire 1 0.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Merthyr Tydfil in Glamorgan leads with 3,021 Williams' recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.60x.

Place Total Index
Merthyr Tydfil 3,021 8.60x
Ystradyfodwg 2,593 8.09x
Aberdare 2,292 9.14x
Liverpool 2,133 1.41x
Toxteth Park 1,995 2.37x
Bedwellty 1,909 7.13x
Everton 1,804 2.27x
Llanelly 1,775 8.91x
Bangor 1,653 20.20x
Birmingham 1,644 0.93x
Llanbeblig 1,601 18.59x
Swansea Town 1,540 5.14x
Llanllechid 1,514 25.38x
Islington London 1,489 0.73x
Festiniog 1,351 16.67x
West Derby 1,250 1.72x
Aston 1,220 0.84x
Holyhead 1,214 17.51x
Llanwonno 1,186 9.03x
Llanddeiniolen 1,152 23.22x
Lambeth 1,126 0.62x
Clase 1,115 8.21x
St Pancras London 1,002 0.59x
Trevethin 995 6.95x
Ruabon 972 8.92x
Llantrisant 929 10.09x
Aberystruth 905 6.77x
Birkenhead 876 2.37x
Holywell 876 12.37x
Kirkdale 864 2.06x
Camberwell 829 0.62x
Llanllyfni 811 20.25x
Stoke Upon Trent 808 1.08x
Kensington London 795 0.68x
Wolverhampton 795 1.46x
Llanguick 778 11.88x
Gelligaer 743 8.90x
Portsea 743 0.88x
Ynyscynhaiarn 734 18.58x
St Marylebone London 733 0.65x
Manchester 732 0.65x
Hackney London 669 0.57x
Llandwrog 632 21.26x
St Woollos 623 3.68x
Pembrey 622 15.29x
Amlwch 619 17.68x
Shoreditch London 614 0.67x
Llandegai 586 22.56x
Cardiff St Mary 582 2.89x
Eglwysilan 581 9.16x
Roath 581 3.50x
Salford 560 0.76x
Rhuddlan 558 11.24x
Newington 542 0.70x
Cardiff St John 535 4.48x
Paddington London 522 0.68x
Tranmere 519 3.05x
Llanelly 514 10.24x
Mynyddyslwyn 514 8.59x
West Bromwich 507 1.25x
Camborne 503 5.14x
Plymouth St Andrew 492 1.46x
Whitford 472 16.14x
Llanrwst 470 17.13x
Battersea 463 0.60x
Broughton 463 14.86x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 461 1.19x
West Ham 461 0.50x
St George Hanover 458 1.67x
Llanover 457 8.82x
Stoke Damerel 455 1.49x
Chelsea London 451 0.71x
Llanberis 450 20.60x
Cheltenham 448 1.41x
Mold 447 8.74x
Dolgelley 445 15.58x
Swansea Higher 445 11.69x
Chorlton On Medlock 442 1.12x
Neath 438 5.89x
Hulme 437 0.84x
Carmarthen St Peter 434 5.74x
Denbigh 431 13.55x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Williams surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 16,826
Elizabeth 10,196
Sarah 6,502
Jane 6,434
Margaret 5,712
Ann 5,387
Ellen 3,559
Catherine 2,815
Anne 2,498
Eliza 2,464
Annie 2,182
Hannah 2,143
Emma 1,867
Alice 1,817
Martha 1,775
Emily 1,589
Maria 964
Harriet 959
Edith 906
Louisa 905
Charlotte 781
Fanny 754
Caroline 720
Florence 688
Ada 642
Kate 634
Rachel 633
Elizth. 595
Esther 561
Grace 556
Clara 524
Susan 522
Frances 489
Cathrine 483
Lucy 479
Eleanor 468
Agnes 445
Laura 440
Margret 429
Margt. 401
Amelia 397
Rebecca 361
Harriett 355
Sophia 336
Rose 331
Matilda 320
Susannah 315
Amy 296
Gwen 276
Ruth 271

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Williams surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 15,883
William 13,620
Thomas 9,454
David 5,104
George 4,209
James 4,051
Robert 3,589
Henry 3,304
Edward 3,199
Richard 3,144
Charles 2,644
Joseph 2,325
Evan 1,497
Alfred 1,344
Hugh 1,340
Owen 1,326
Samuel 1,298
Arthur 1,188
Frederick 1,033
Daniel 890
Walter 859
Albert 829
Benjamin 708
Griffith 704
Edwin 637
Wm. 612
Thos. 593
Harry 589
Lewis 533
Isaac 492
Herbert 485
Frank 469
Francis 400
Rees 395
Ernest 387
Peter 370
Morgan 360
Ellis 262
Morris 255
Stephen 200
Edmund 189
Geo. 184
Philip 176
Phillip 173
Robt. 172
Richd. 166
Fred 165
Jno. 162
Rowland 159
Elias 154

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Williams households.

FAQ

Williams surname: questions and answers

How common was the Williams surname in 1881?

In 1881, 214,615 people were recorded with the Williams surname. That placed it at #3 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Williams surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 295,271 in 2016. That gives Williams a modern rank of #3.

What does the Williams surname mean?

A patronymic surname meaning "son of William."

What does the Williams map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Williams bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.