Wilson is an English, Scottish, and Northern Irish surname, common in the English-speaking world, with several distinct origins. The name is derived from a patronymic form of Will, a popular medieval name. The medieval Will is derived from any of several names containing Old Norse or the first Germanic element wil, meaning "desire". [1] Possibly the most common of these names was William, derived from elements wil and helm, meaning "desire" and "helmet", "protection". [2] The surname Wilson is first recorded in England as Willeson in 1324 [3] and in Scotland as Wulson in 1405. [4]
It is the seventh most common surname in England, [5] and tenth most common in the United States, [6] occurring 783,051 times as of 2000. [7] Wilson is also now quite common as a surname in many other countries with a large English-speaking population such as Canada, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand.
Wilson is the third most common surname in Scotland. [8] In the 16th and 17th century the surname was greatly increased in Ulster by the thousands of Scottish settlers and as a result of this settlement it is the most common surname in Northern Ireland.
Wilson can also be a given name.
Wilson is an English, Scottish, and Northern Irish surname, common in the English-speaking world, with several distinct origins. The name is derived from a patronymic form of Will, a popular medieval name. The medieval Will is derived from any of several names containing Old Norse or the first Germanic element wil, meaning "desire". [1] Possibly the most common of these names was William, derived from elements wil and helm, meaning "desire" and "helmet", "protection". [2] The surname Wilson is first recorded in England as Willeson in 1324 [3] and in Scotland as Wulson in 1405. [4]
It is the seventh most common surname in England, [5] and tenth most common in the United States, [6] occurring 783,051 times as of 2000. [7] Wilson is also now quite common as a surname in many other countries with a large English-speaking population such as Canada, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand.
Wilson is the third most common surname in Scotland. [8] In the 16th and 17th century the surname was greatly increased in Ulster by the thousands of Scottish settlers and as a result of this settlement it is the most common surname in Northern Ireland.
Wilson can also be a given name.