Origin & History

Patronymic surname meaning 'son of Will' or 'son of William', where William derives from Old High German 'Willahelm' — 'wil' (will, desire) + 'helm' (helmet, protection). The name was introduced to Scotland through Norman influence after the twelfth century and spread rapidly as William became one of the most popular given names in medieval Scotland. Wilson is heavily concentrated in the Scottish Lowlands and the Border counties, where it ranks consistently among the top five surnames.