Wilson
/ˈwɪl.sən/noun
A surname meaning “son of Will,” originally referring to descent from a man named William or Will.
Did you know?Wilson is a patronymic surname built from the medieval short form Will, ultimately tied to William, whose Germanic roots mean “will/desire” + “helmet/protection.”
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Germanic
Proto-Germanic
*wiljô
“will, desire”
Proto-Germanic
Proto-Germanic
*helmą
“helmet, protection”
Early Medieval
Old High German
Willahelm
“a personal name meaning “will/desire” + “helmet/protection””
Medieval Latin
Latin
Willelmus
“Latinized form of the name William”
Middle English
English
Will
“short form of the personal name William”
Late Middle English
English
Willson / Wilson
““son of Will,” a patronymic surname”