Meaning and origin
The last name Childs originates from medieval England and Scotland, deriving from the Old English word "cild," meaning a child or descendant. It is a patronymic surname, suggesting it was originally used to identify the children or descendants of a particular person named Child. Over time, the spelling variations have evolved, including Child, Chyld, and Childs, ultimately settling on the modern form of Chil(d)s.
Surname origins are rarely settled: one spelling can have several sources, and families often took a name for reasons nobody wrote down. Check it against the sources below before you rely on it.
Similar spellings
#1,242
Childs was the 1,242nd most common surname in the 2010 US Census, with 28,359 people, about 10 in every 100,000.
Who carries it
Surnames like Childs
Names it is linked with, then names with the same origin and a similar standing.
Check the sources
- Forebears: where Childs is found around the world
- The Internet Surname Database: a second opinion on the origin
- US Census Bureau: the 2010 surname figures used here
For a name you are serious about, compare the dictionaries: Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames; Hanks, Dictionary of American Family Names.