Weems
A Scottish surname probably tied to the place-name Wemyss, ultimately meaning a cave or hollow.
The #3,494 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 30,177 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Weems is best understood as a locational surname from the Scottish place-name Wemyss in Fife, and related to the old word for a cave or hollow. The historical note in Lower connects it with the Gaelic/Irish word for a cave, which fits the landscape of the Wemyss coast and its cave-rich shoreline. The surname can also reflect spelling variation from Wemyss, with Weems becoming a simpler English rendering.
History
The name is associated especially with the Scottish family of Weems of that Ilk, later usually written Wemyss. Historical writers also linked it to a tradition that the family took its name from hiding in caves during troubled times, though that story is more legendary than certain. In later records, Weems appears as an anglicized spelling alongside Wemyss and related forms.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The original family story attached to the name places its earliest bearer in caves near Fife — a vivid example of how local lore can shape a surname tradition.
From the historical record
“AA''EELEY. A parish in Essex. WEEMS. A fortalice in the parish of Rescobie, in Forfarshire, called the castle of AVeems, once of considerable importance, has now disappeared. AVEE:MYS. See Wemyss. A parish in Norfolk — AA^EEAT'ER. 1. A township in Cheshire.”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom