Watts
A patronymic surname meaning “son of Watt,” with Watt itself a medieval pet form of Walter.
The #348 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 3,444 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Watts is the genitive or patronymic form of Watt, meaning “Watt’s son” or “belonging to Watt.” Watt is a medieval nickname of Walter, a very common name in medieval England and Scotland. Walter ultimately comes from a Germanic personal name built from elements meaning “rule” and “army,” though the surname itself simply points back to the familiar short form Watt.
History
The name appears widely in medieval and later records in England and Scotland, often alongside the related surnames Watt, Watson, and Watkins. Nineteenth-century surname writers generally treated Watts as a straightforward patronymic from Walter via Watt, and that remains the standard explanation. It became common enough to survive as an independent hereditary surname rather than merely a literal phrase.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Older surname books often grouped Watts with a whole cluster of Walter-based names, treating Watt as a popular everyday nickname rather than a formal given name.
From the historical record
“doubtless 'Wada's Estate.' WATTS, Watt's (Son) 1 ,,, . . WATTSON, Watt's Son f "■ ***"• William Wattes.— /f«»rf. Rolls. Cp. Watson. Wauchope 269”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)