Skip to content
  • Start free trial

Origins of the Williamson surname

A collage of historical images including two family portraits and a postcard of people boarding a ship

What does the name Williamson mean?

The Williamson surname is English. It is patronymic, and refers to someone who is the son or heir of a person named William. Because this given name has been so popular throughout history, it's impossible to give a single source of these named families, they are widespread throughout Britain.

Alternative variations of the name Williamson

Williamson, Wiliamson, Williamsone, Willyamson, Willamson

“

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 review
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 Williamsons.

Sign up to get started

Delve deeper into the Williamson family's history

Where do most Williamsons live?

In 1921, most Williamsons lived in London.


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

Interesting facts about Williamsons

How common is your surname?

130th most common surname in the UK

We have 251,000 records for the Williamson surname. The oldest one dates back to 1539.

Who were Williamsons most likely to marry?

Our Marriage record sets tell us which families married Williamsons.

What are the most common Williamson first names?

  • John
  • William
  • Mary
  • Elizabeth

Our birth record sets tell us the names of Williamson family members

Common jobs for Williamsons

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

Common Female occupations for Williamsons in 1921
Dressmaker

1,088

Domestic Servant

710

Cotton Weaver

583

Housekeeper

519

Knitter

489

Common Male occupations for Williamsons in 1921
Coal Miner

1,518

Farmer

930

General Labourer

735

Agricultural Labourer

734

Fisherman

730

An image of a census transcript and a picture of a dairy farmer holding two milk jugs

Census records provide incredible detail on names, ages, marital statuses, occupations and more.

We found over 1,500,000 family trees with the Williamson surname

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

Search for a relative in our family trees

Share your discoveries

Find out more about your family in our records

or try an advanced search

Start your family history journey

Start free trial

Start free trial