24,807 Global Winn Family Members

Winn Family History

Recorded as Win, Winn, Wyn, Wynn and the diminutives Winnett and Wynett, this is an Anglo-Welsh surname. It is true that in modern times it is generally considered to be Welsh, but in fact there are at least four possible origins. These are from the Welsh or Olde English personal name Gwyn of the pre 8th century. This translates as "fair", and may originally have been a descriptive nickname for an Anglo-Saxon of Norse-Viking invader who were fair skinned. Secondly it may originate from the personal name "Wine", which was an Olde English word meaning friend, thirdly it may be from the the Norse-Viking pre 9th century personal name "Hvin", which translates literally as "gorse", but was probably a nickname for a prickly person...