Wells (name)
Wells is a surname of English origin, but is occasionally used as a given name too. It derives from occupation, location, and topography. The occupational name derives from the person responsible for a village's spring. The locational name derives from the pre-7th century "wælla". The topographical name 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. At the time of the British Census of 1881 Wells Surname at Forebears, its relative frequency was highest in Berkshire, followed by Leicestershire, Oxfordshire, Kinross-shire, Huntingdonshire, Kent, Sussex, Lincolnshire, Dumfriesshire and Bedfordshire. People with the name include:
Surname
A
- Alan Wells, English cricketer
- Alexander H. Wells, New York lawyer, newspaper editor and politician
- Alfred Wells, U.S. Representative from New York
- Alfred Wells, architect in South Australia
- Alice Wells, American diplomat and U.S. Ambassador to Jordan
- Alice Stebbins Wells, first female officer in Los Angeles Police Dept
- Allan Wells Scottish Olympic athlete
- Alphege of Wells, third Anglo-Saxon Bishop of Wells
- Andy Wells, mayor of St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
- Andy Wells , politician in North Carolina
- Andrew Wells, character in the U.S. television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer
- Angus Wells, British writer of genre fiction, including fantasy and westerns
- Audrey Wells, American screenwriter, film director and producer
B
- Basil Wells, American writer.
- Ben Wells , American television and film actor
- Ben Wells for southern rock band "Black Stone Cherry"
- Ben Wells, English footballer
- Benjamin W. Wells, American scholar and editor
- Bertram Whittier Wells, American botanist and ecologist
- Bill Wells, Scottish musician
- Bill Wells , Australian Rules footballer
- Billy Wells , American footballer
- Billy Wells , Australian Rules footballer
- Bob Wells , American baseball pitcher
- Bomber Wells, English cricketer
- Bonzi Wells, American professional basketball player
- Boomer Wells, American baseball pitcher
- Bowen Wells, British politician
- Brian Wells
- Briant H. Wells, American Major General
- Bruce Wells, English boxer
- Bubba Wells, American basketball player
- Bulkeley Wells, "colourful character"
C
- Cal Wells, American businessman
- Caroline Louise Josephine Wells, first professionally qualified female dentist in Ontario, Canada.
- Carolyn Wells, American author and poet
- Chandler Wells, Pioneering Minister and founder of city in Michigan
- Charles Wells
- Charlie Wells, Australian Rules footballer
- Charlie Wells, Mississippi hardboiled mystery writer
- Chris Wells
- Clara Louisa Wells, American writer and inventor
- Clark Henry Wells, U.S. Navy Rear Admiral
- Claudia Wells, American actress
- Clifford Wells, American basketball coach
- Clyde Wells, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador
- Colin Wells
- Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, Australian politician
- Cory Wells, American singer
- Cyril Wells, English cricketer, rugby footballer and schoolmaster
D
- Daniel Wells
- David Wells
- Dawn Wells, American actress
- Dean Wells
- Deane Wells, Australian politician
- Delores Wells, American model, actress, Playboy Playmate June 1960
- Derek Wells, Canadian politician, lawyer and businessman
- Dicky Wells, American jazz trombonist
- Dino Wells, American actor, writer and production assistant
- Dolly Wells, English actress
- Doris Wells, Venezuelan actress, writer, and director
- Dustin Wells, Australian soccer player
E
- EJ Wells and Samantha Brady, fictional characters from the American soap opera Days of our Lives
- Earle Wells, New Zealand Olympic Gold medallist in yachting
- Ed Wells , American baseball pitcher, nickname "Satchelfoot"
- Edmund W. Wells, American jurist, businessman, and politician.
- Edward Wells , English mathematician, geographer, and controversial theologian
- Edward Wells , English Conservative Party politician, MP for Wallingford 1872–80
- Edward Curtis Wells, director of Boeing Company, designer of the Boeing 747
- Emmeline B. Wells, American journalist, editor, poet, women's rights advocate and diarist
- Erastus Wells, American politician and businessman
- Erik Wells, contemporary American politician and former television news anchor
- Evelyn Wells, 20th century biographer and author
F
- Fay Gillis Wells, pioneer aviator, journalist and broadcaster
- Frank Wells, American entertainment businessman
G
- G. Wells, English cricketer active 1814–1821
- G. P. Wells, English astronomer
- G. P. Wells, zoologist, author and son of H. G. Wells
- Garrett Wells, fictional attorney on the American TV legal series Boston Legal
- Gawen DeAngelo "Bonzi" Wells, American basketball player
- Geoffrey of Wells, mid-twelfth-century English hagiographer
- George Wells
- Georgeann Wells, American basketball player active in the 1980s
- Gisa, also spelt Giso, bishop from 1060 to 1088
- Greg Wells, Canadian musician and record producer
- Greg Wells , American baseball player
- Greg Wells, Australian rules footballer
- Greg Wells, Australian rules footballer
- Guilford Wiley Wells, U.S. Representative from Mississippi
H
- Harrison Wells, the name of several fictional characters appearing in the 2014 TV series The Flash
- Harry Wells
- Heber Manning Wells, American politician, first Governor of Utah
- Helen Wells, author of nurse Cherry Ames books, a series for young teens
- Helena Wells, later Whitford, American-English novelist and writer
- Henry Wells
- Herbert George Wells, prolific British science fiction writer and Fabian socialist
- Herbert Wells , U.S. soccer player
- Herman B Wells, 11th president of Indiana University
- Holly Wells, British murder victim in the 2002 Soham murders
- Horace Wells, pioneering American dentist
- Horatio Wells, American lawyer and politician
- Hugh de Wells,, medieval Bishop of Lincoln.
- Humphrey Wells, former Governor of Georgia
I
- Ida B. Wells, African American civil rights leader
- Ima Wells, American educator and politician
- Ira K. Wells, American lawyer and federal judge
J
- J. Wells, record producer and occasional rapper
- Jabez H. Wells, American politician and curler
- Jack Wells, Canadian radio and television broadcaster
- Jack Wells , Australian rules football
- Jair-Rôhm Parker Wells, American free jazz bassist, composer and conceptualist
- James Wells
- James Babbage Wells Jr., Texan judge
- James L. Wells, New York State Treasurer 1915–1920
- James Madison Wells, Louisiana governor 1865–1867
- James Murray Wells, English entrepreneur
- James Pearson Wells, Canadian farmer and political figure
- Jane Wells, CNBC business news reporter
- Jared Wells, American baseball pitcher
- Jason Wells
- Jay Wells, Canadian ice hockey player
- Jean Wells, American artist
- Jeremy Wells, New Zealand television personality
- Jerold Wells, English actor
- Jerry Lee Wells, American basketball player
- Jim L. Wells, American sports radio host
- Jim Wells , Irish politician
- Jim Wells , American baseball coach
- Jocelin of Wells, medieval Bishop of Bath and Wells
- Jodie Wells and Pearl Wells, in Jacqueline Wilson's book My Sister Jodie
- Joey Wells, Bahamian long jumper
- Jonathan Wells
- John Wells
- Joseph Wells
- Jordan C. Wells, head coach of the Syracuse college football program from 1892
- Julie Elizabeth Wells, more popularly known as Julie Andrews
- Juliette Wells, American author and Jane Austen specialist
- Junior Wells, born Amos Blakemore, was a blues vocalist and harmonica player
- Junius F. Wells, first head of the Mormon "Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association"
K
- Keith Wells, convicted and executed murderer
- Kent Wells, American football player
- Kerry Anne Wells, Miss Australia and Miss Universe, 1972
- Killian Wells, American pop music artist and entrepreneur
- Kip Wells, American baseball player
- Kitty Wells, American country music singer
- Kristin Wells, the secret identity of the 1981 version of DC Comics Superwoman
L
- L. M. Wells, American actor of the silent era
- Lawrence Wells, Australian explorer
- Lee Wells, American artist, curator, technology and art consultant
- Lemuel H. Wells, first Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Spokane
- Leo Wells, American baseball player
- Lesley B. Wells, U.S. federal judge
- Linton Wells, American foreign correspondent, world traveller and pioneer broadcaster
- Lloyd C. A. Wells, American sports photographer and civil rights advocate
- Lloyd Wells, American jazz guitarist
- Lynn Wells, American civil rights activist during the 1960s
M
- Malcolm Wells, American architect, "father of modern earth-sheltered home"
- Margaret Bruce Wells, British artist and printmaker
- Margot Wells, Scottish sprinter and English sprint and fitness coach
- Mark Wells, American ice hockey player
- Mark Wells , British soccer player
- Mark Wells , Australian musician and record producer
- Martha Wells, American fantasy and science fiction author
- Mary Wells, American singer
- Mary K. Wells, American television writer and actress
- Matt Wells, Canadian videographer, TV co-host and singer
- Matt Wells , British Olympic and professional boxer
- Matthew Wells , Australian Olympic field hockey defender
- Matthew Wells , American football player
- Meech Wells, American hip-hop music producer, son of Mary Wells
- Melissa F. Wells, diplomat and former United States Ambassador
- Mike Wells , American footballer
- Mike Wells , American footballer
- Milton Wells, American Union Civil War brevet brigadier general
- Monty Garland-Wells, English cricketer
- Murray C. Wells, Australian economist
N
- Nahki Wells, Bermudian professional footballer for Huddersfield Town
- Nathaniel Wells, landowner, magistrate and Britain's first black Sheriff
- Nick Wells, American heavyweight boxer
- Nina Mitchell Wells, American lawyer, academic and currently Secretary of State of New Jersey
- Norm Wells, American football player
O
- Oliver Elwin Wells, American educator
- Orlando Wells, British actor
- George Orson Welles, American film director
- Owen A. Wells, U.S. Representative from Wisconsin
- Owen Wells
P
- Patricia Wells, US cookbook author
- Paul Wells, Canadian journalist
- Pearl Wells and Jodie Wells, in Jacqueline Wilson's book My Sister Jodie
- Percy Wells, British trade union official and Member of Parliament
- Percy Wells associated with marine civil engineering in South Australia.
- Peter Wells
- Philip Steven Wells, Canadian hematologist
R
- Randall Wells, English architect
- Randy Wells baseball pitcher
- Ray Wells, American football player
- Rebecca Wells, actress, playwright, author of Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood
- Reggie Wells, American footballer
- Reginald Fairfax Wells, British artist and aviator
- Renward Wells, Bahamian sprinter
- Rhoshii Wells, American boxer
- Rob Wells, Canadian songwriter, musician and record producer
- Robb Wells, Canadian actor and screenwriter
- Robert Wells
- Robin Wells, American economist
- Robison Wells, American novelist
- Rolla Wells, American politician
- Rosemary Wells, contemporary author of children's books
- Roy Wells, American baseball player for the Seattle Mariners
- Rulon S. Wells, Utah politician
- Rupert Mearse Wells, Canadian politician
S
- Sally Wells, fictional character in the Australian soap opera Neighbours
- Samuel Wells, American politician, Governor of Maine
- Scott James Wells, contemporary American actor
- Scott Wells
- Shan Wells, contemporary American sculptor and political illustrator
- Sigar of Wells, Bishop of Wells
- Simon of Wells, medieval Bishop of Chichester
- Simon Wells, director, great grandson of H. G. Wells
- Spencer Wells, geneticist and anthropologist
- Stanfield Wells, American Footballer active c. 1910
- Stanley Wells, British Shakespeare scholar and academic
- Steven Wells, British journalist and author formerly based in USA
- Sue Wells, contemporary New Zealand author and city councillor
- Swithun Wells, beatified English Catholic martyr
T
- Ted Wells, American criminal attorney
- Terry Wells, American baseball pitcher
- Thomas Wells
- Todd Wells, contemporary American bicycle racer
- Tommy Wells, Washington, D.C. politician
- Tyrone Wells, contemporary American singer/songwriter in the folk pop genre
V
- Vernon Wells III, American baseball player
- Vernon Wells , Australian film and television actor
- Vincent Wells, English cricketer
W
- W. Wells, English cricketer active 1791–1816
- W. Woodbury Wells, Canadian teacher, lawyer and political figure
- Warren Wells, American football player
- Wayne Richard Wells , American metal musician
- Wayne Wells , American Olympic wrestler
- William Wells
Z
- Zach Wells, American soccer goalkeeper
- Zachariah Wells, Canadian poet, critic, essayist and editor
- Zeb Wells, American comic book writer
First name
- Wells A. Hutchins, U.S. Representative from Ohio
- Wells Coates, Canadian-born English architect, designer and writer
- Wells Goodykoontz, American politician from West Virginia
- Wells Spicer, American journalist, prospector, politician, lawyer and judge
- Wells Thompson, American soccer player
- Wells Tower, American writer of short stories and non-fiction
- Wells Twombly, American sportswriter and author
Other parts of name
- Wells–Bennett–Grant family
- Berthold Wells Key, British Indian Army general
- Charles Wells Russell, Confederate politician during the American Civil War
- Elizabeth Anne Wells Cannon, women's suffragist and politician in Utah
- Elizabeth Wells Gallup, American educator
- George Wells Beadle, American scientist and Nobel Prize laureate
- George Wells Parker, African American political activist and writer
- Henry Wells Tracy, American politician
- Irene Wells Pennington, a very savvy lady
- James Wells Champney, American genre and portrait painter
- James Wells Robson, Canadian politician
- John Wells Foster, American geologist and palaeontologist
- Levi Wells Prentice, American still life and landscape painter
- Mary Wells Lawrence, American advertising executive, first woman CEO of a listed company
- Reuben Wells Leonard, Canadian soldier, civil engineer, railroad and mining executive, and philanthropist
- Samuel Wells Morris, American politician
- Samuel Wells Williams, American linguist, missionary and sinologist
- Seth Wells Cheney, American artist
- Sharlene Wells Hawkes, Miss America 1985, singer, reporter, publisher
- Victoria Wells Wulsin, American physician and aspiring politician
- William Wells Brown, American abolitionist lecturer, novelist, playwright and historian
- William Wells Newell, American folklorist, school teacher, minister and philosophy professor