Evans (surname)
Evans is a unisex name and surname of Welsh, and possibly Cornish,[1][2] origin. Within Wales it is the fifth most common surname and is the tenth most common in England.[3] Within the United States, it is ranked as the 48th-most common surname.[4]
Origin
Evans is of Welsh origin. In its anglicised form the name means "son of Evan". Regarding its Welsh roots, it is a derivative of the name Ifan, a cognate of John.[5] In the Welsh language, the f produces the v sound; Ifan (Ivan) became Evan.
The similarity to the Slavic name Ivan is not accidental, as it is also a cognate of John.
In the Welsh language the patronymic "ab Evan" resulted in the anglicized surname "Bevan", which is also common in Wales.
Notable persons named Evans
References
- ^ George Pawley White. A handbook of Cornish surnames
- ^ "Cornish surnames E". Freepages.history.rootsweb.ancestry.com. Retrieved 2013-07-15.
- ^ "Campbell Surname Meaning and Distribution". forebears.co.uk. Retrieved 21 January 2014
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on October 12, 2010. Retrieved August 10, 2006.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Kimberly Powell. "Evans Surname Meaning and Origin". About.com Parenting.