(male) English form of the Greek name Andreas, a short form of any of various compound names derived from andr- ‘man, warrior’. In the New Testament this is the name of the first disciple to be called by Jesus. After the Resurrection, St Andrew preached in Asia Minor and Greece. He is traditionally believed to have been crucified at Patras in Achaia. He was one of the most popular saints of the Middle Ages and was adopted as the patron of Scotland, Russia, and Greece. It has long been among the most popular boys' names in the English-speaking world, especially in Scotland. Its popularity in England was further enhanced by its use as a British royal name for Prince Andrew (b. 1960), the Duke of York.
Short form (mainly Scottish): Drew.
Pet form (English and Scottish): Andy.
Cognates: Irish: Aindrias, Aindréas; Aindriú. Scottish Gaelic: Aindrea, Anndra. Welsh: Andras. German: Andreas. Dutch: Andries. Scandinavian: Anders. French: André. Spanish: Andrés. Catalan: Andreu. Portuguese: Andre. Italian: Andrea. Russian, Bulgarian: Andrei. Polish: Andrzej, Jȩdrzej. Czech: Andrej, Ondřej. Croatian, Serbian: Andrija. Slovenian: Andrej. Finnish: Antero. Hungarian: András, Endre. Lithuanian: Andrius. Latvian: Andrejs.
English (also very common in Wales): patronymic from William.
FOREBEARS This very common surname was brought to North America from southern England and Wales independently by many different bearers from the 17th century onward. It has also absorbed some continental European cognates such as Dutch Willems. Roger Williams, born in London in 1603, came to MA in 1630, but the clergyman was banished from the colony for his criticism of the Puritan government; he fled to RI and founded Providence.
