- 970
- people in the U.S. have this name Get contact details for people named Bill Jones
Meaning & Origins
Altered short form of William, not used before the 19th century. The reason for the change in the initial consonant is not clear, but it conforms to the pattern regularly found when English words beginning with w- are borrowed into Gaelic. The nickname ‘King Billy’ for William of Orange is an early example from Ireland, which may have influenced English usage. It is bestowed occasionally as a name in its own right.
| 293rd in the U.S. for 2011 |
English and Welsh: patronymic from the Middle English personal name Jon(e) (see John). The surname is especially common in Wales and southern central England. In North America this name has absorbed various cognate and like-sounding surnames from other languages. (For forms, see Hanks and Hodges 1988).
| 5th in the U.S. for 2011 |
Nicknames & variations
William, Billy, Billie, Wm, Willy, Willie, Willbur, Willis, Bil, Wilis
James, Janes, Jone, Jines, Janek, Janeczko, Joneson, Juneja, Junek, Jonet
Top state populations
U.S. Distribution Map