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Williams is a patronymic name from William, common in both England and Wales.  Because of William the Conqueror, William was the most used personal name in England until it was superseded by John in the 13th century. 

Select Williams Resources on The Internet

• The Williams Family Tree. The Williams from Aberdovey.
• My Williams Family History.  Williams and slate mining in north Wales.
• Roger Williams Family Association.  Descendants of the founder of Rhode Island.
• Williams Family Genealogy.  Descendants of Matthew Williams from Connecticut and New Jersey.
• Williams from Gosport.  Williams of England and New Zealand.
• The Williams Family of Australia.  Williams in Australia from 1814.

England.  Thomas Williames was recorded in the 1307 Staffordshire rolls; and the Williams name was mainly to be found in western counties in succeeding centuries. 

A Williams family has held Herringston House in Dorset continuously since 1512.  Robert Williams of this family, a banker in London, acquired the Bridehead estate nearby in 1797.  Meanwhile, the Williams family of Burncoose and Caerhays - through their ownership of mines and smelting works - was a major force in the Cornish industrial revolution of the 18th and early 19th century.  The first of this line was John Williams who purchased the Burncoose estate in 1715.

Wales.  Williams emerged as a Welsh surname in the 16th century.  Early Williams were:

• The Williams family of Cochwillan near Bangor in north Wales, whose ownership of the estate dated back to the early 15th century and perhaps earlier.  William Williams was the first to adopt the Williams surname a century or so later.  Cochwillan was later taken over by John Williams, the Archbishop of York, a nephew. 

• The Williams family of Aberpergwm in the Neath valley, who were descendants of William ap Hopkin of Blaen Baglan.  This family later owned coal mines in the area and St. Donat's castle.  

• The Williams of Llangibby castle in Monmouthshire, which began when Roger Williams of Usk acquired the old structure in 1554.  These Williams built a new house in the 17th century which continued in use until 1951.
  

• Oliver Cromwell might have been a Williams if his Welsh great grandfather had not changed his name at the instructions of Henry VIII.
  

By the 19th century, the Williams name was to be found both in south Wales (Glamorgan, Monmouthshire, and Carmarthenshire) and in north Wales (Anglesey, Carnarvonshire, and Denbighshire).

Ireland.  Williams in Ireland would probably have come originally from either Wales or England.   One such family of Welsh origin settled in county Monaghan in the 1640's.  There were greater numbers in Ulster. Charles Williams, from Coleraine in county Derry, was a 19th century war correspondent who founded the Press Club.  A Williams family has been running the Tullamore whiskey distillery in county Offaly since the early 1900's.

Roger Williams was the founder of the state of Rhode Island.
Edward Williams who lived during the 18th century did much to preserve the Welsh language.  He was Chief Druid and bard of Wales.
John Williams was one of the early Englsh missionaries to the South Pacific.
Ralph Vaughan Williams was an English composer.
Hank Williams was an American country singer who has achieved almost cult status.
Kenneth Williams was a British radio and TV comic.
Edward Bennett Williams was a prominent Washington trial lawyer.