Surname Fitzwilliam - Meaning and Origin
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Fitzwilliam: What does the surname Fitzwilliam mean?
The last name Fitzwilliam is an English surname that likely originated in the Norman French language. The name is compsed of two parts: “Fitz”, meaning “son of”, and “William”, which is a Norman French form of the Germanic masculine name “Wilhelm”. Therefore, the surname Fitzwilliam is often translated as “son of William”.
The use of “Fitz” as a prefix in the English language is believed to have originated after the Norman Conquest of 1066. At this time, the Normans introduced their own languages and customs to the English people, including the use of patronymic names (given names based on one’s father’s given name). As such, the term “Fitz” was added to many English surnames, signifying the person’s father’s given name.
In modern times, Fitzwilliam is one of the most popular surnames in Britain, and those with the surname can be found in resourceful positions in both the public and private sectors. The Fitzwilliam family also holds a prominent role within the English nobility; the name has been adopted by British Viscounts from the 12th century until the present day.
Order DNA origin analysisFitzwilliam: Where does the name Fitzwilliam come from?
The last name Fitzwilliam is most common in the United Kingdom and Ireland today. Records indicate its presence and spread from the late 11th century in England and Scotland. The name is derived from William, which is a popular given name in the countries of the United Kingdom and Ireland.
The majority of people with the last name Fitzwilliam can be found in England, where it is the 830th most common surname. Some other countries around the world where the surname is found are Canada, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and india.
The Fitzwilliam surname can be found in many places around the world with varying spelling variations such as Fitzwilliams, FitzWilliams, and Fitzwylliams. There is also a baronetcy of Fitzwilliam in England, which was created in 1716 in honor of Sir William Fitzwilliam who was a naval commander during reigns of King William III and Queen Anne.
The origin of the name Fitzwilliam, however, is believed to be from Old French and specifically from the phrase ‘filz Guillaume’, which is French for ‘son of William’. The exact date of the name’s origin is unconfirmed but there are a vast number of records indicating that the name goes back a very long time in history.
Overall, Fitzwilliam is a name of lineage and heritage with a long-standing history in many countries around the world today. Its origin and use remain concentrated in United Kingdom and Ireland, and the name continues to be a popular one in these areas.
Variations of the surname Fitzwilliam
The Fitzwilliam surname has numerous variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin often found around the world. Some of the more common variants include FitzWilliam, Fitz Williams, Fitz-William, FitzWilliamson, FitzWilliams, Fitzwillians, Fitzgerald, FitzGerald, MacGillaikeur, Fitzmaurice, FitzSimons, FitzHenry, Fitzpatrick, Fitzjohn, FitzPatrick, and Fitz-John.
Fitzwilliam is an anglicised form of the Irish Gaelic surname Mac Gillaikeur. This surname means “son of Dermott”, in reference to the patronymic “Mac Dermott”. Another variation for this surname is Fitzsimon, derived from the Irish Gaelic surname “Mac Shíomuinn”, meaning “son of Síomón”. In Scotland the Fitzwilliam family is also known as MacGillikinner, a variation of the Irish FitzGerald.
In addition, the surnames FitzJeffreys and FitzJeffery are variants of Fitzwilliam, derived from the patronymic “Mac Elfrieda”, meaning “son of Elfred”. Other variations derived from “Mac Elfrieda” include Fitzjefries and FitzJeffreys, as well as FitzJeffrey, Fitzsimmons, Fitzsimmons, Fitzsimmons, and FitzJeffery.
The Fitzwilliam surname is also known to have Flemish, Jewish, and Welsh origins. For example, in Wales the surname Fitzwalter or McWalters is derived from the patronymic “Mac Ualtair”, meaning “son of Walter”. Other surnames of the same origin include Fitzwaters, Fitzwilly, and McWalterson.
In Germany, the surname Fießenwillem originated as a variation on the Fitzwilliam surname. This name means “son of William”, and is derived from the patronymic “Mac Wilhelma”. Other spellings and surnames of German origin include Feissenwillim, Feissenwilhelm, and Fießenwilhlem.
Finally, the Fitzwilliam surname has spread around the world, with many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin in other countries such as Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and the United States. Harlee Fitzwilliam, one of the earliest known bearers of the surname in the United States, emigrated from Wales in the late 1600s.
Famous people with the name Fitzwilliam
- HRH Elizabeth Fitzwilliam, Queen Consort of the United Kingdom
- Lady Annabel McAlpine Fitzwilliam, British Model
- Lady Victoria Leatham Fitzwilliam, British Socialite
- Richard Fitzwilliam, 7th Viscount Fitzwilliam
- Dr. Evelyn Fitzwilliam, editor of the British Journal of Psychiatry
- Andrew Fitzwilliam, British banker and philanthropist
- Augustus Fitzwilliam, 7th Duke of Manchester
- Caroline Fitzwilliam, British actress
- Phillip Fitzwilliam, British politician
- Major-General Sir Christopher William Fitzwilliam, CB, CBE, DSO, MVO, British Army Officer