Wells (name)

This article is about the name Wells. For other uses, see Wells (disambiguation).
Wells
Family name
Meaning "spring"
Region of origin England
Related names Well, Welman, Welles, Wellman and Wellsman

Wells is a surname of English origin, but is occasionally used as a given name too. It derives from occupation, location, and topography. The occupational name (i.e. "Wellman") derives from the person responsible for a village's spring. The locational name (i.e. "Well") derives from the pre-7th century waella ("spring"). The topographical name (i.e. "Attewell") derives from living near a spring. The oldest public record is found in 1177 in the county of Norfolk. Variations of Wells include Well, Welman, Welles, Wellman and Wellsman.[1][2] At the time of the British Census of 1881 Wells Surname at Forebears, its relative frequency was highest in Berkshire (3.2 times the British average), followed by Leicestershire, Oxfordshire, Kinross-shire, Huntingdonshire, Kent, Sussex, Lincolnshire, Dumfriesshire and Bedfordshire. People with the name include:

Surname

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

R

S

T

V

W

Z

First name

Other parts of name

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Surname: Wells". surnamedb.com. Retrieved 2008-04-09.
  2. ↑ "Wells Family Crest and Name History". houseofnames.com. 9 April 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-09.
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