Patronymic surnames are derived directly from the father's name, and, back when surnames were beginning to become established, being known as "William, son of Edmund" was one of the ways of distinguishing yourself from 'the other William', who was son of John.
Most patronymic names contains two parts: the masculine (father's) name, and the "son of" element. The English patronymic surnames derive from a variety of sources: Old English, Norse, Norman French and Germanic, and they are usually formed with either a -son suffix, or a genitive -s. Fitz is a prefix which derives from the Norman French fiz "son".
| Adamson Addison Alberts/on Albinson Allanson Anderson Andrews Arnison Atkins/on Barson Bates/on Bason Batterson Bennison Benson Bryson Climpson Coleson Colson Collins/on Coxon Cusson |
Dandison Danson Davidson Davis Dawson Dayson Denison Dickins/on Dixon Dobson Dodson Duxon Edmundson Elverson Emberson Emmerson Fairson Fennel Fillary Filson FitzAlan FitzHerbert |
FitzHugh FitzJames FitzJohn FitzNeal Fitzroy Fitzsimmons Fitzwater Fitzwilliam Folkson Foxon Garrison Gemson Gibbs Gibson Gillson Gregson Hampson Hanson Harbison Harris/on Hendison Henson |
Hobson Hodson Howieson Howson Hudson Hughes Hulson Huskinson Hutchinson Ingerson Ingleson Iveson Jackson Jacobs/on Jameson Jefferson Jenkinson Jepson Jetson Jobinson Johnson Judson |
Juson Juxon Kitson Lawson Madison Markson Mathison Morrison Nelson Nicholson Nickson Nixon Patterson Pelson Pierson Rawlings/on Richards/on Rixon Roberts/on Robinson Robson Roginson |
Rollinson Sanderson Simpson Stimpson Tamson Tennyson Thompson Tipson Tolson Tomlinson Towlson Townson Wadeson Watson Wilkins/on Williams/on Willis Wilson Winson |
Welsh, Scottish and Irish patronymic surnames are to follow.
