English Family Names and Their Origins
Common English Surnames
Here are some of the most frequent English surnames:
- Smith (origin: occupational)
- Johnson (origin: patronymic)
- Williams (origin: patronymic)
- Brown (origin: descriptive)
- Davis (origin: occupational)
Geographic Distribution
Surname | Origin Country | Global Population |
---|---|---|
Smith | England | 5.8 million |
Johnson | Scotland | 4.3 million |
Williams | Wales | 3.9 million |
Historical Notes
Surnames became widespread in England after the Norman Conquest (1066). Many derive from: occupational roles, geographic features, or patronymic prefixes (-son, -sen, -er). For example:
- Robertson (son of Robert)
- Williamson (son of William)
- Thomasson (son of Thomas)
Modern Trends
According to Smith (2020), 35% of English surnames contain the prefix "_-son_-". Notable exceptions include:
- French-derived names: Richardson
- German-derived names: Schmidt
- Scandinavian-derived names: Nielsen
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