<Tr> <Th> Variant (s) </Th> <Td> William, Willimon, Williman, Williamson, Wilhelm </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Footnotes: Frequency Comparisons </Td> </Tr> <P> Williams is a patronymic form of the name William that originated in medieval England and Wales . The meaning is derived from son or descendant of William, the Northern French form that also gave the English name William . Derived from an Old French given name with Germanic elements; will = desire, will; and helm = helmet, protection . It is the second most common surname in New Zealand; third most common in Wales and the United States and fourth most common in Australia . </P> <P> The earliest recorded use of the surname; </P>

Where did the last name williams come from
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