Origins of the Wilson surname

What does the name Wilson mean?

The Wilson surname is a patronymic name originating most often in England and Scotland, and found as early as the 1300s. Wilson is the second most common surname in Scotland, seventh most common surname in England and tenth most popular name in the United States of America. Because of the plantation of Ulster and the arrival of numerous settlers from Scotland, it is also the most prevalent surname in Northern Ireland. The surname Wilson derives from being the 'son of Will/William', ensuring that the name has appeared in many parts of the English-speaking world independently, with no single common place of creation.

Alternative variations of the name Wilson

Wilson, Willson, Wilsone, Wilsoun, Willison

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Delve deeper into the Wilson family's history

OrkneyShetlandHighlandsWestern IslesGrampianTaysideCentralStrathclydeFifeLothianBordersDumfriesNorth East 13935North West 3610Isle of Man 166Yorkshire 20436East Midlands 3939West Midlands 3472East 4807London 23882South East 6120South West 1445South Wales 569Mid Wales 245West Wales 29North Wales 333Republic of IrelandNorthern Ireland

In 1921, most Wilsons lived in london

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Interesting facts about Wilson

How common is your surname?

6th most common surname in the UK

We have for the Wilson surname. The oldest one dates back to 1220.

Who were Wilsons most likely to marry?

Our tell us which families married Wilsons.

What are the most common Wilson first names?

John

William

Mary

Elizabeth

Our tell us the names of Wilson family members
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Census records provide incredible detail on names, ages, marital statuses, occupations and more.

Common jobs for Wilsons

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

Commmon female occupations for Wilsons in 1921

Dressmaker

5,892

Domestic Servant

3,761

Housekeeper

2,706

Laundress

2,660

General Servant Domestic

2,509

Commmon male occupations for Wilsons in 1921

Coal Miner

7,723

General Labourer

4,806

Farmer

4,380

Agricultural Labourer

3,822

Joiner

3,712

We found over 1,000,000 family trees with the Wilson surname

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