Williams History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  Germany 
  Wales 
  Ireland 


The Welsh name Williams is a patronymic surname derived from the personal name William, which is in turn derived from the Old German names Willihelm and Willelm (the Norman French version was Guillaume). Following the Norman Conquest of 1066, William became the most popular personal name in Britain for a time.

Early Origins of the Williams family

The surname Williams was first found in Breconshire and Monmouthshire on the English/Welsh border, where they are traditionally believed to be descended from Brychan Brecheiniog who was Lord of Brecknock at the time of King Arthur of the Round Table.

The mediaeval seat of the ancestors of the Williams family was at Llangibby Castle in County Monmouth. More recently, the family is descended through Rhys Goch, the red haired Lord Ystradyw from Caradog Vreichvras.

One of the first records of the name was listed as Robertus filius Willelmi 1 which was listed in the Domesday Book. 2 Other early records include Richard Williams who was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1279 and John Wylyam who was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296.

Early History of the Williams family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Williams research. Another 134 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1500, 1604, 1621, 1623, 1635, 1636, 1641, 1656, 1660, 1661, 1666, 1668, 1675, 1679, 1683, 1688, 1689, 1692, 1696, 1712, 1739, 1846 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Williams History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Williams Spelling Variations

Welsh surnames are relatively few in number, but they have an inordinately large number of spelling variations. There are many factors that explain the preponderance of Welsh variants, but the earliest is found during the Middle Ages when Welsh surnames came into use. Scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, which often resulted in a single person's name being inconsistently recorded over his lifetime. The transliteration of Welsh names into English also accounts for many of the spelling variations: the unique Brythonic Celtic language of the Welsh had many sounds the English language was incapable of accurately reproducing. It was also common for members of a same surname to change their names slightly, in order to signify a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations. For all of these reasons, the many spelling variations of particular Welsh names are very important. The surname Williams has occasionally been spelled Williams, Quilliams, Guilliam, Guilliams and others.

Early Notables of the Williams family

Prominent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was

Williams World Ranking

In the United States, the name Williams is the 3rd most popular surname with an estimated 1,738,413 people with that name. 3 However, in Canada, the name Williams is ranked the 17th most popular surname with an estimated 63,729 people with that name. 4 And in Quebec, Canada, the name Williams is the 544th popular surname. 5 Newfoundland, Canada ranks Williams as 27th with 705 people. 6 France ranks Williams as 6,400th with 1,000 - 1,500 people. 7 Australia ranks Williams as 3rd with 105,855 people. 8 New Zealand ranks Williams as 2nd with 8,814 people. 9 The United Kingdom ranks Williams as 23rd with 115,923 people. 10 South Africa ranks Williams as 34th with 106,885 people. 11

Migration of the Williams family to Ireland

Some of the Williams family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 87 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Williams migration to the United States +

The Welsh migration to North America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries contributed greatly to its rapid development. These migrants were in search of land, work, and freedom. Those Welsh families that survived the long ocean journey were critical to the development of new industries and factories, and to the quick settlement of land. They also added to an ever-growing rich cultural heritage. A search of the immigration and passenger lists has shown a number of people bearing the name Williams:

Williams Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Williams Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Williams Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
Williams Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Williams migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Williams Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
Williams Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Williams migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Williams Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century
Williams Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
Williams Settlers in Australia in the 20th Century

Williams migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Williams Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Williams migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 22
Williams Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Williams (post 1700) +


The Williams Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Ensuivant la verite
Motto Translation: By following the truth.


Suggested Readings for the name Williams +
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