Wilson
A classic patronymic surname meaning “son of Will,” with Will being a short form of William.
The #14 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 385 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Wilson is an English patronymic surname built from Will, the familiar short form of William, plus -son, meaning “son of.” In other words, it originally identified a man as the son of someone named Will or William. The form is very old in English records, with medieval spellings such as Wyllson and related forms appearing from the 14th century.
History
Wilson became one of the most common surnames in England and Scotland, and later spread widely to North America and other English-speaking countries. Historical surname writers note its strong presence in Scotland as well as England, and by the 19th and 20th centuries it was already among the most frequent surnames in English-speaking populations. Its long popularity reflects the enduring popularity of William as a given name.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because William was so popular, Wilson became one of the most widespread surnames in the Anglophone world.
From the historical record
“Angl.,' bk. I. WILSON, Will's Son : v. Wlll',=. Robert Willesson. — Lane. Inq., A.D. 1346. Adam Wyllson. — Yorks Poll-Tax, A.D. 1379. WILTHEW, a var. of Walthew, q.v.”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)