The Wells surname
In the 2010 U.S. Census, 176,230 people carried this name — #147 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 1,670 people counted. That is up 3% from 170,635 in 2000.
What the name means
The meaning of the Wells surname
An English topographic surname from Middle English for someone living near a well or a spring.
From Old English wella, genitive plural of well (“spring”), in reference to a residence near a group of springs. The original use of the genitive case here would've indicated origin. The -s ending of the modern form would be added later on upon reanalysis after the breakdown of the case system (outside of pronouns) that occurred in the development of English.
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Wells» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.
In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890
Ireland registered 9 births for the Wells name in 1890.
Most were registered in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 400 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “Armagh.”
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they were born, 1890
Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.
In Switzerland’s population statistics
102 people named Wells live in Switzerland.
They live in 8 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Geneva.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.
In Argentina’s national register
At least 57 people named Wells live in Argentina.
RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.
In France’s civil register
France’s register of deaths holds 41 people named Wells.
Most of them — 35 — were born outside France. Those born in France came from 4 départements, most often Pas-de-Calais.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they were born
Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.
In Poland’s population register
25 people named Wells have a registered home in Poland.
Of the 79 in Poland’s national register, these are the ones with a permanent address on file. They live in 8 of Poland’s 16 voivodeships, most of all in Masovian.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
PESEL register, Ministry of Digital Affairs of Poland (dane.gov.pl) — CC0 · living people by voivodeship of permanent residence, 20 January 2026.
In the Nordic population registers
151 people named Wells are counted in Sweden and Finland.
Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published. Finland counts its citizens, at home or abroad.
Counted, by country
Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown) · Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), Finland, surname statistics, August 2026 — CC BY 4.0.
Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s
Wells was found among the farmers of 19 counties.
It was most frequent in Oxfordshire: 37 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 270. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.
Where it concentrates, on the mapPer 10,000 farmers, by county
And 11 more counties.
H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.
In Scotland’s registers today
Wells was recorded 53 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.
That made it the 492nd most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 53. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.
National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
In the first U.S. census, 1790
640 families named Wells, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.
Each family is counted by its head. About 3,780 people lived in those households, 5.9 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 2 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.
Families, by state
U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 268 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.
In print
Wells in American newspapers,
1907–1921.
Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 54,545 pages in all carry the name.
In print
Wells in Australian newspapers,
1800s–2000s.
190,627 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Wells. The most, 34,738, date from the 1930s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in the Northern Territory, at 1.8 times its expected share.
Articles, by state
Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Wells.
Who carried it
People named Wells,
with a public archive behind them.
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Swithun Wells 1536–1591 · teacher -
William Frederick Wells 1762–1836 · painter -
William H. Wells 1769–1829 · lawyer -
William Wells 1770–1812 · soldier -
Samuel Wells 1801–1868 · judge
Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped — Swithun Wells: John Salmon, CC BY-SA 2.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0); the others are in the public domain or CC0 · 159 lives in all are documented under this name.
In the public record
People named Wells,
in the records of 9 countries.
Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.
United States13,554 records
- U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 5,835
- U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 2,609
- Other U.S. records 5,110
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Example: U.S. war memorial War record Willie WellsBorn 1930; from St Louis City, Missouri. U.S. Army, light weapons infantry leader; killed in action 1953 in North Korea. Buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Missouri.
U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) -
Example: U.S. war memorial War record Russell Lee WellsBorn 1944; from El Paso, Texas. U.S. Army, imagery analyst; killed in action 1968 in Binh Long, South Vietnam. Buried at Fort Bliss National Cemetery, Texas.
U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) -
Example: U.S. registration card, 1942 Military record Ralston P. WellsBorn 1923 in Delaware. Enlisted 1942 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; office clerk. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 2001, buried at Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery-Sussex Co., Delaware.
U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
Showing 3 of 13,554 records for Wells in the United States.
Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls) · Ramsey County, Minnesota (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain).
Australia5,624 records
- Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 2,131
- Tasmanian Names Index 1,974
- Other Australian records 1,519
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Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829 Transportation record Hannah WellsTransported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Nautilus, sailing from Woolwich in 1838. Native of Surrey. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1842.
Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) -
Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829 Transportation record William WellsTransported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Phoenix, sailing from England in 1824. Native of Woodbridge, Suffolk. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1836. Married 1836 in Launceston, Tasmania.
Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) -
Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829 Transportation record Edward WellsTransported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Palmyra, sailing from Portsmouth in 1846. Native of Nottingham, Nottinghamshire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1854. Married 1854 in Launceston, Tasmania, aged 38.
Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
Showing 3 of 5,624 records for Wells in Australia.
Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · City of Ballarat, Avenue of Honour Plaques (CC BY 3.0 AU). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain).
Canada903 records
- Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 570
- Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 85
- Other Canadian records 248
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Example: German emigration file, 1883 Emigration record Mary WellsLeft New York in 1783 aboard the Elizabeth, bound for Port Roseway, aged 35.
Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. -
Example: passenger manifest, 1903 Passenger record Thos WellsCame to Ontario in 1875 aboard the St. Patrick, landing at Quebec, bound for Coboconk, Ontario; Scotch.
Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. -
Example: Canadian cemetery Burial record Charles Henry WellsBuried in 1970 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 87.
City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
Showing 3 of 903 records for Wells in Canada.
Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Emigration file, Gündlingen, 1883, Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Staatsarchiv Freiburg B 694/1 Nr. 1389 (CC BY 4.0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).
United Kingdom222 records
- War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 150
- St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 61
- Other British records 11
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Example: burial register, 1858 Burial record Susan WellsBuried in 1921 at Mar Place Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 72.
Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. -
Example: burial register, 1858 Burial record Jane WellsBuried in 1852 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 31.
MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. -
Example: probate petition, 1848 Probate record Owen Reuben WellsWill proved in 1939; of Swansea.
National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
Showing 3 of 222 records for Wells in the United Kingdom.
Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).
New Zealand199 records
- Christchurch City cemetery records 96
- Marlborough District cemetery records 49
- Other New Zealand records 54
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Example: burial register, 1858 Burial record Jabez WellsDied 1912, aged 65; buried at Havelock Cemetery, Marlborough.
Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) -
Example: burial register, 1858 Burial record Kathleen Eleanor WellsDied 1998, aged 78; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.
Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) -
Example: burial register, 1858 Burial record Isabella WellsBuried in 1902 at Shortland Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 63.
Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
Showing 3 of 199 records for Wells in New Zealand.
Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).
Netherlands35 records
- Dutch population registers 18
- Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 15
- Dutch church registers before 1811 2
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Example: civil register, 1880 Death record Richard WellsDied 1846 in Heenvliet, aged 25; sailor.
Open Archives, Streekarchief Voorne-Putten (CC BY 4.0) -
Example: marriage register, 1911 Marriage record Hendrina WellsMarried in 1842 in Bemmel; seamstress, born 1814 in Griethausen, Germany.
Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0)
Showing 2 of 35 records for Wells in the Netherlands.
Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).
Germany14 records
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Example: German casualty list, 1918 Casualty list Heinrich WellsFrom Ost Steinbek, Stormarn. Reported dead in the Prussian casualty list of 2 December 1916.
Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0) -
Example: German casualty list, 1918 Casualty list Karl WellsFrom Hamburg. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 1 November 1918.
Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
Showing 2 of 14 records for Wells in Germany.
Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).
France8 records
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Example: French death register, 1930 Death record Gordon Leslie WellsBorn 1923 in Canada; died 2000 in Cannes (Alpes-Maritimes).
Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
Showing 1 of 8 records for Wells in France.
Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).
Belgium1 record
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Example: civil register, 1880 Birth record Carolus WellsBorn 1911 in Gent.
Open Archives, Archief Gent (CC BY 4.0)
Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).
Nearby in the index
Surnames next to Wells.
- Weldon 14,538 · U.S. census
- Welker 8,566 · U.S. census
- Weller 13,774 · U.S. census
- Welling 4,164 · U.S. census
- Wellington 6,784 · U.S. census
- Wellman 11,260 · U.S. census
- Welsch 2,857 · U.S. census
- Welscher 111 · U.S. census
- Welsh 30,153 · U.S. census
- Welte 1,212 · U.S. census
- Welter 4,729 · U.S. census
- Weltin 144 · U.S. census
When the index is not enough
This page says where Wells is.
A volume says what happened to it.
Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.