Humphries
A patronymic surname meaning “son of Humphrey,” from the medieval personal name Humphrey.
The #1,981 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 16,963 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Humphries is a patronymic surname built from the given name Humphrey, with the meaning “son of Humphrey.” The personal name Humphrey came into English through Norman French and ultimately goes back to Germanic elements commonly explained as meaning something like “peace” and “strength.” Older sources note many spellings, including Humphrey, Humphreys, Humphrys, Humphris, and related forms, with the -s ending marking descent or affiliation.
History
The name is found in several spelling forms in British records, and 19th-century surname writers treat Humphries as a standard variant of Humphrey-based surnames. In England it appears in scattered regional concentrations rather than as a single strongly local surname, and it later spread widely through normal internal migration and emigration. In modern English usage, Humphries is usually grouped with Humphrey, Humphreys, and Humphrys as the same surname family.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Older genealogical dictionaries often list Humphries right alongside Humphreys and Humphrys as simply another spelling of the same family name.
From the historical record
“1647. Buried— William Catchpole, ser- vant to Mr. Humphries, victualler: St. Michael, Comhill, p. 242. London, o, 4, 11. Category. — Nick, 'one of a”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (alternate scan)