Will
An English surname that usually began as a pet form of William, though it can also come from the old Anglo-Saxon personal name Willa.
The #2,869 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 24,552 Americans shares it.
Etymology
This surname is generally explained as a short form, or diminutive, of William. It can also derive from the Old English personal name Willa, built on the word willa, meaning “will,” “desire,” or “pleasure.” In that older sense, the name carried the idea of purpose or desire rather than being a literal word-name.
History
The name appears in English records as both a given name and a surname. Harrison notes the two main explanations side by side, which suggests that more than one origin may have fed the surname. As with many short surnames, some bearers may descend from an ancestor called Will as a familiar form of William, while others may reflect the older Anglo-Saxon personal name.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Old English willa could mean not just “will” but also “thing desired or valued,” which gives the name a broader, more positive sense than modern English might suggest.
From the historical record
“WILKSHIRE for Wiltshire, q.v. WILKSON, Wilk's Son : v. Wilk. WILL (Eng.) I a dim. of William, q.v. 2 the A.-Sax. pers. name Willa [f. O.E. willa, will, determination, pleasure, thing desired or valued] Here is Wil wolde wife [know], If wit koude teche hym. — Piers Plowman, 5148-9.”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)