Origins of the Wells surname

What does the name Wells mean?

The Wells surname is English, and has two particular points of origin. Firstly it is a topographical name, given to those who lived at or near a well. It also can be found less commonly as a geographic name, relating to those who come from the area around Wells, Somerset, or Wells, Norfolk.

Alternative variations of the name Wells

Wells, Wels, Well, Wealls, Walls

Start free trial
“
I’ve managed to trace back to the mid-1500s! I can’t believe it! Utterly engrossing and I have uncovered some quite moving and heartbreaking stories attached to various ancestors. You don’t need any qualifications to start - just time patience, and some information.
SS
Stuart
Trustpilot logoTrustpilot 5 stars
1 of 3

Start your family tree

Trace your family back in time. Make new discoveries and see what other Findmypast family historians in our genealogy community have discovered about the Wellses.

Sign up to get started

Delve deeper into the Wells family's history

OrkneyShetlandHighlandsWestern IslesGrampianTaysideCentralStrathclydeFifeLothianBordersDumfriesNorth East 493North West 272Isle of Man 11Yorkshire 1918East Midlands 1291West Midlands 1080East 1675London 6464South East 3554South West 439South Wales 206Mid Wales 27West Wales 2North Wales 35Republic of IrelandNorthern Ireland

In 1921, most Wellses lived in london

Census records trace your ancestors through each generation, so you can follow where your relatives lived through each decade.

39,000 Wells Travel & migration records
250,000 Wellses found in all Census records

Interesting facts about Wells

How common is your surname?

125th most common surname in the UK

We have for the Wells surname. The oldest one dates back to .

Who were Wellses most likely to marry?

Our tell us which families married Wellses.

What are the most common Wells first names?

William

John

Mary

Elizabeth

Our tell us the names of Wells family members
Man with milk churns and census card collage
Census records provide incredible detail on names, ages, marital statuses, occupations and more.

Common jobs for Wellses

Men and women often performed different types of jobs, so these are displayed by gender to maintain their historical accuracy.

Commmon female occupations for Wellses in 1921

Dressmaker

1,120

Laundress

831

Domestic Servant

610

General Servant Domestic

599

General Servant

463

Commmon male occupations for Wellses in 1921

Agricultural Labourer

1,405

General Labourer

965

Carpenter

801

Farm Labourer

778

Bricklayer

646

We found over 410,000 family trees with the Wells surname

Trace your family back in time and see what other Findmypast family historians in our genealogy community have discovered about the Wellses.

Search for a relative in our family trees

Learn more about the lives of Wells family members

How rare is your surname?

Have you ever wondered if your family na...

The rise and fall of these disappearing British surnames

Could your surname be on the brink of di...

English surnames explained: The seven types of last names you should know

Ever wondered where our last names come...

How to find the maiden names of women in your family tree

Try these simple tricks to pinpoint your...

4 simple steps to starting your family history journey

Starting your family history journey is...

Share your discoveries

Share to WhatsApp

Share to Facebook

Look for a different surname

Paper tear line

Find out more about your family in our records

    or try an advanced search