Wells is an English habitational surname but is possibly also from an old English word for Wales. It normally derives from occupation, location, and topography. The occupational name (i.e. "Wellman") derives from the person responsible for a village's spring. The locational name (i.e. "Well") derives from the pre-7th century "wælla " ("spring"). The topographical name (i.e. "Attewell") derives from living near a spring. The oldest public record is found in 1177 in the county of Norfolk. Variations of Wells include Well, Welman, Welles , Wellman and Wellsman.[1] At the time of the British Census of 1881 ,[2] its relative frequency was highest in Berkshire (3.2 times the British average), followed by Leicestershire , Oxfordshire , Kinross-shire , Huntingdonshire , Kent, Sussex , Lincolnshire , Dumfriesshire and Bedfordshire .
Wells Cathedral (1176–1450) Early English Gothic . The facade was a Great Wall of sculpture.One of the three wells which give the city its name; two are located in the gardens of the Bishop's Palace (as shown) and one in the Market Place . Origin It is said that the origin is sometimes derived from the city of Wells , but could also be from an old English word for Wales or a habitational surname from any of several places named with the plural of Old English well(a) ‘spring’, ‘stream’, or a topopgraphical name from this word (in its plural form), for example Wells in Somerset or Wells-next-the-Sea in Norfolk . Translation of French Dupuis or any of its variants. Later an abbey church was built in Wells in 705 by Aldhelm , first bishop of the newly established Diocese of Sherborne during the reign of King Ine of Wessex . It was dedicated to St Andrew and stood at the site of the cathedral's cloisters, where some excavated remains can be seen. Wells gets its name from these springs which can today be found in the gardens of the Bishop's Palace. Wells is the smallest city in England with about 12,000 inhabitants. This was dated 1177, in the pipe rolls of the county of Norfolk, during the reign of Henry II of England , 1154–1189. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original.[3] This probably denoted somebody responsible for looking after the village spring, although not necessarily in any other way associated with the various places called Well or Wells. Early examples of church register recordings include Robert Wells, who was christened on January 7, 1557, at Christchurch Greyfriars , in the city of London, whilst Richard Wellman was recorded at St Georges Chapel , Hanover Square, Westminster, on March 1, 1730.
Variants The old Anglo-Saxon word waella meant spring (rather than a well) and probably a spring associated with a holy place. In Kent and East Anglia this word seems to have been pronounced “wella,” from which has come the surname Wells and, in Sussex , Atwell (at the well).
Bearers of the surname A Alan Wells (born 1961), English cricketerAlexander H. Wells (d. 1857), New York lawyer, newspaper editor and politicianAlexander Wells (baseball) (born 1997), Australian baseball playerAlfred Wells (1814–1867), U.S. Representative from New YorkAlfred Wells (1859–1935), architect in South AustraliaAlice Wells , American diplomat and U.S. Ambassador to JordanAlice Stebbins Wells (1873–1957), first female officer in Los Angeles Police DeptAlisa Wells (born Alice Wells; November 26, 1927 – January 5, 1988)Allan Wells (born 1952) Scottish Olympic athleteAlphege of Wells (or Ælfheah, died c.937), third Anglo-Saxon Bishop of WellsAndy Wells (Canadian politician) , mayor of St. John's, Newfoundland and LabradorAndy Wells (American politician) (born 1954), politician in North CarolinaAndrew Wells , character in the U.S. television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer Angus Wells (1943–2006), British writer of genre fiction, including fantasy and westernsAudrey Wells (1960–2018), American screenwriter, film director and producerB Basil Wells (Basil Eugene Wells, 1912–2003), American writerBen Wells (actor) (born 1982), American television and film actorBen Wells (American Guitarist) for southern rock band "Black Stone Cherry"Ben Wells (footballer) , English footballerBenjamin W. Wells (1856–1923), American scholar and editorBertram Whittier Wells (1884–1978), American botanist and ecologistBezaleel Wells (1773–1846), American politician and landowner from OhioBill Wells , Scottish musicianBill Wells (footballer) (William George "Bill" Wells, a.k.a. "Bomber" Wells, 1920–2013), Australian Rules footballerBilly Wells (football player) (William Prescott Wells, 1931–2001), American footballerBilly Wells (footballer) (William Charles Richard Wells, 1916–1984), Australian Rules footballerBob Wells (baseball) (Robert Lee Wells, born 1966), American baseball pitcherBob Wells (vandweller) (born 1955/1956), American YouTuberBomber Wells (Bryan Douglas Wells, 1930–2008), English cricketerBonzi Wells (Gawen DeAngelo Wells, born 1976), American professional basketball playerBoomer Wells (David Lee Wells, born 1963), American baseball pitcherBowen Wells (born 1935), British politicianBrian Wells (figure skater) (born 1970), American figure skaterBrian Douglas Wells (1956–2003), American pizza delivery man killed by a bombBriant H. Wells (1871–1949), American major generalBruce Wells (1933–2009), English boxerBubba Wells (Charles Richard "Bubba" Wells, born 1974), American basketball playerBulkeley Wells (1872–1931), "colourful character"C Cal Wells , American businessmanCaroline Louise Josephine Wells (1856–1939), first professionally qualified female dentist in Ontario, Canada.Carolyn Wells (1862–1942), American author and poetCasper Wells , American baseball playerCharles Wells (disambiguation) Charlie Wells (Charles Wells 1892–1929), Australian Rules footballerCharlie Wells (Charles Harding Wells 1923–2004), Mississippi hardboiled mystery writerCharlotte Fowler Wells , 19th-century American phrenologist and publisherCharlotte Wells , 21st-century Scottish film directorChris Wells (disambiguation) Clara Louisa Wells (c.1850-c.1925), American writer and inventorClark Henry Wells (1822–1888), U.S. Navy Rear AdmiralClaudia Wells (born 1966), American actressClifford Wells (1896–1977), American basketball coachClyde Kirby Wells (born 1937), Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and LabradorColin Wells (disambiguation) Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (aka "Connie", born 1960), Australian politicianCory Wells (1942–2015), American singer (Three Dog Night)Cyril Wells (1871–1963), English cricketer, rugby footballer and schoolmasterD Daniel Wells (disambiguation) David Wells (disambiguation) Dawn Wells (1938–2020), American actressDean Wells (disambiguation) Deane Wells (born 1949), Australian politicianDelores Wells (1937–2016), American model, actress, Playboy Playmate June 1960Derek Wells (born 1946), Canadian politician, lawyer and businessmanDicky Wells (William Wells, 1907–1985), American jazz trombonistDino Wells (David R. Wells Jr, born 1971), American actor, writer and production assistantDolly Wells (born 1971), English actressDoris Wells (1943–1988), Venezuelan actress, writer, and directorDustin Wells (born 1983), Australian soccer playerE EJ Wells and Samantha Brady , fictional characters from the American soap opera Days of our Lives Earle Wells (1933–2021), New Zealand Olympic Gold medallist in yachtingEd Wells (baseball) (1900–1986), American baseball pitcher, nickname "Satchelfoot"Edmund W. Wells (1846–1938), American jurist, businessman, and politician.Edward Wells (theologian) (1667–1727), English mathematician, geographer, and controversial theologianEdward Wells (MP) (1821–1910), English Conservative Party politician, MP for Wallingford 1872–80Edward Curtis Wells (1910–1986), director of Boeing Company, designer of the Boeing 747Edward Wells (RNZAF officer) (1916–2005), New Zealand flying ace of the Second World WarEmmeline B. Wells (1828–1921), American journalist, editor, poet, women's rights advocate and diaristErastus Wells (1823–1893), American politician and businessmanErik Wells , contemporary American politician and former television news anchorEvelyn Wells , 20th century biographer and authorF G G. Wells (Sussex cricketer) , English cricketer active 1814–1821G. P. Wells, English astronomer (Guy Paul Wells FRAS) G. P. Wells (George Philip Wells, 1901–1985), zoologist, author and son of H. G. WellsGary L. Wells , American Psychology Professor and Researcher (born 1950)Garrett Wells , fictional attorney on the American TV legal series Boston Legal Gawen DeAngelo "Bonzi" Wells (born 1976), American basketball player Geoffrey of Wells (Galfridius Fontibus), mid-twelfth-century English hagiographer George Wells (disambiguation) Georgeann Wells , American basketball player active in the 1980sGisa (Bishop of Wells) , also spelt Giso, bishop from 1060 to 1088Greg Wells (born 1968), Canadian musician and record producerGreg Wells (baseball) (born 1954), American baseball playerGreg Wells (footballer, born 1950) , Australian rules footballerGreg Wells (footballer, born 1952) , Australian rules footballerGuilford Wiley Wells (1840–1909), U.S. Representative from MississippiH Harrison Wells , a fictional characterHarry Wells (disambiguation) Heber Manning Wells (1859–1938), American politician, first governor of UtahHelen Wells (1910–1986), author of nurse Cherry Ames books, a series for young teensHelena Wells , later Whitford (1761?- 1824), American-English novelist and writerHenry Wells (disambiguation) Herbert George Wells (H. G. Wells , 1866–1946), prolific British science fiction writer and Fabian socialist Herbert Wells (soccer) (1901–1978), U.S. soccer playerHerman B Wells (1902–2000), 11th president of Indiana UniversityHolly Wells (1991–2002), British murder victim in the 2002 Soham murders Horace Wells (1815–1848), pioneering American dentistHoratio Wells (1807–1858), American lawyer and politicianHugh de Wells , (d. 1235), medieval Bishop of Lincoln.Humphrey Wells , former Governor of Georgia I Ida B. Wells (1862–1931), African American civil rights leaderIma Wells (1936–2014), American educator and politicianIra K. Wells (1871–1934), American lawyer and federal judgeJ J. Wells (born Jon Wells, 1982), record producer and occasional rapperJabez H. Wells (1853–1930), American politician and curlerJack Wells (disambiguation) Jair-Rôhm Parker Wells (born 1958), American free jazz bassist, composer and conceptualistJames Wells (disambiguation) James Babbage Wells Jr. (1850–1923), Texan judgeJames L. Wells , New York State Treasurer 1915–1920James Madison Wells , Louisiana governor 1865–1867James Murray Wells , English entrepreneur (Glasses Direct)James Pearson Wells (1822–1896), Canadian farmer and political figureJane Sinclair Wells (born 1952) British composer and saxophonistJane Wells (born 1961), CNBC business news reporterJared Wells (born 1981), American baseball pitcherJason Wells (disambiguation) Jay Wells (born 1959), Canadian ice hockey playerJaylen Wells (born 2003), American basketball playerJayson Wells (born 1976), American basketball playerJean Wells , American artistJeremy Wells (born 1977), New Zealand television personalityJerold Wells (1908–1999), English actorJerry Lee Wells (1944–2014), American basketball playerJim L. Wells , American sports radio hostJim Wells (politician) (born 1957), Irish politicianJim Wells (baseball) (born 1955), American baseball coachJocelin of Wells (died 1242), medieval Bishop of Bath and WellsJodie Wells and Pearl Wells, in Jacqueline Wilson 's book My Sister Jodie Joey Wells (born 1965), Bahamian long jumperJonathan Wells (disambiguation) John Wells (disambiguation) Joseph Wells (disambiguation) Jordan C. Wells , head coach of the Syracuse college football program from 1892Julie Elizabeth Wells (born 1935), more popularly known as Julie Andrews Juliette Wells , American author and Jane Austen specialistJunior Wells (1934–1998), born Amos Blakemore, was a blues vocalist and harmonica playerJunius F. Wells (1854–1930), first head of the Mormon "Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association"K Keith Wells (1962–1994), convicted and executed murdererKent Wells (born 1967), American football playerKerry Anne Wells , Miss Australia and Miss Universe, 1972Killian Wells , American pop music artist and entrepreneurKip Wells (born Robert Wells, 1977), American baseball playerKitty Wells (1919–2012), stage name of Ellen Deason, American country music singerKristin Wells , the secret identity of the 1981 version of DC Comics SuperwomanL L. M. Wells (1862–1923), American actor of the silent eraLawrence Wells (1860–1938), Australian explorerLemuel H. Wells (1841–1936), first Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of SpokaneLeo Wells (1917–2006), American baseball playerLesley B. Wells (born 1937), U.S. federal judgeLightnin' Wells , American Piedmont blues multi-instrumentalist and singerLilian Wells (1911-2001), Australian church leaderLinton Wells (1893–1976), American foreign correspondent, world traveller and pioneer broadcasterLloyd C. A. Wells (1924–2005), American sports photographer and civil rights advocateLloyd Wells (born c. mid-1940s), American jazz guitaristLynn Wells , American civil rights activist during the 1960sM Malcolm Wells (1926–2009), American architect, "father of modern earth-sheltered home"Margaret Bruce Wells (1909–1998), British artist and printmakerMargot Wells (born 1952), Scottish sprinter and English sprint and fitness coachMark Wells (1957–2024), American ice hockey playerMark Wells (footballer) (born 1971), British soccer playerMark Wells (musician) (born 1973), Australian musician and record producerMartha Wells (born 1964), American fantasy and science fiction authorMary Wells (1943–1992), American singerMary K. Wells (1920–2000), American television writer and actressMatt Wells (television presenter) , Canadian videographer, TV co-host and singerMatt Wells (boxer) (1886–1953), British Olympic and professional boxerMatthew Wells (field hockey) (born 1978), Australian Olympic field hockey defenderMatthew Wells (American football) (born 1990), American football playerMeech Wells , American hip-hop music producer, son of Mary WellsMelissa F. Wells (born 1932), diplomat and former United States AmbassadorMichaele Pride-Wells (born 1956), American architect and educatorMike Wells (defensive lineman) (born 1971), American footballerMike Wells (quarterback) (born 1951), American footballerMilton Wells (1829–1906), American Union Civil War brevet brigadier generalMonty Garland-Wells (1907–1993), English cricketerMurray C. Wells (born 1936), Australian economistN O P R Randall Wells (Albert Randall Wells, 1877–1942), English architectRandy Wells (Randy David Wells, 1982) baseball pitcherRay Wells (born 1980), American football playerRebecca Wells (born 1953), actress, playwright, author of Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood Reggie Wells (born 1980), American footballerReginald Fairfax Wells (1877–1951), British artist and aviatorRenward Wells (born 1970), Bahamian sprinterRhoshii Wells (1976–2008), American boxerRob Wells (born 1972), Canadian songwriter, musician and record producerRobb Wells (born 1971), Canadian actor and screenwriterRobert Wells (disambiguation) Robin Wells (born 1959), American economistRobison Wells (born 1978), American novelistRolla Wells (1856–1944), American politicianRosemary Wells , contemporary author of children's booksRowVaughn Wells (born c. 1962 ), American activistRoy Wells (born 1978), American baseball player for the Seattle MarinersRulon S. Wells (1854–1941), Utah politicianRupert Mearse Wells (1835–1902), Canadian politicianS Sally Wells , fictional character in the Australian soap opera NeighboursSamuel Wells (1801–1868), American politician, Governor of MaineSamuel Garnet Wells (1885–1972), Australian artist, cartoonist, and caricaturistSarajane Wells (1913/1914 - 1987), American actress and educatorScott James Wells , contemporary American actorScott Wells (American football) (born 1981)Shan Wells , contemporary American sculptor and political illustratorSigar of Wells (died c. 996), Bishop of WellsSimon of Wells (died 1207), medieval Bishop of ChichesterSimon Wells (born 1961), director, great-grandson of H. G. WellsSpencer Wells (born 1969), geneticist and anthropologistStanfield Wells , American Footballer active c. 1910Stanley Wells (born 1930), British Shakespeare scholar and academicSteven Wells (born 1960–2009), British journalist and author formerly based in USASue Wells , contemporary New Zealand author and city councillorSwithun Wells (c. 1536–1591), beatified English Catholic martyrT V W Z Zach Wells (born Zachary Stephen Wells, 1981), American soccer goalkeeperZachariah Wells (born 1976), Canadian poet, critic, essayist and editorZeb Wells , American comic book writerFictional characters Bearers of the forename Wells A. Hutchins (1818–1895), U.S. Representative from OhioWells Coates (1895–1958), Canadian-born English architect, designer and writerWells Goodykoontz (1872–1944), American politician from West VirginiaWells Spicer (1831–1887?), American journalist, prospector, politician, lawyer and judgeWells Thompson (born 1983), American soccer playerWells Tower (born 1973), American writer of short stories and non-fictionWells Twombly (1935–1977), American sportswriter and authorBearers in other parts of the name Berthold Wells Key (1895–1986), British Indian Army generalCharles Wells Russell (1818–1867), Confederate politician during the American Civil WarElizabeth Anne Wells Cannon (1859–1942), women's suffragist and politician in UtahElizabeth Wells Gallup (1848–1934), American educatorGeorge Wells Beadle (1903–1989), American scientist and Nobel Prize laureateGeorge Wells Parker (1882–1931), African American political activist and writerHenry Wells Tracy (1807–1886), American politicianIrene Wells Pennington (1898–2003), a very savvy ladyJames Wells Champney (1843–1903), American genre and portrait painterJames Wells Robson (1867–1941), Canadian politicianJohn Wells Foster (1815–1873), American geologist and palaeontologistLevi Wells Prentice (1851–1935), American still life and landscape painterMary Wells Lawrence (born 1928), American advertising executive, first woman CEO of a listed companyReuben Wells Leonard (1860–1930), Canadian soldier, civil engineer, railroad and mining executive, and philanthropistSamuel Wells Morris (1786–1847), American politicianSamuel Wells Williams (1812–1884), American linguist, missionary and sinologist Seth Wells Cheney (1810–1856), American artistSharlene Wells Hawkes (born 1964 in Paraguay), Miss America 1985, singer, reporter, publisherVictoria Wells Wulsin (born 1953), American physician and aspiring politicianWilliam Wells Brown (1814–1884), American abolitionist lecturer, novelist, playwright and historianWilliam Wells Newell (1839–1907), American folklorist, school teacher, minister and philosophy professorSee also References ^ "Surname: Wells". surnamedb.com. Retrieved 2008-04-09 . ^ "Wells Surname Meaning, Origins & Distribution". forebears.io . ^ "Surname Database: Wells Last Name Origin". The Internet Surname Database . Retrieved 2021-12-20 . ^ https://www.lifeisstrangefans.com/characters/raymond-wells/