A Hebrew and English name of Adam which was originally 'adama', meaning earth. The surname Adams became a very common name during the 12th and 13thcenturies. Adding the ‘s’ refers to the son of Adam.

The other spellings of Adams include Adamson, Adcocks, Adie, McAdams, Adam and Addams. In Italian the name is in two forms; Adami and Adamini.

In Scotland the Adams surname is in Lanarkshire and Midlothian counties. In England mostly in the London area and the counties of Essex and Kent. Within the United States with Adams families would be Ohio, Kentucky, Georgia, Massachusetts Illinois and California. In eastern Canadian provinces and in Australia the Adams surname is popular.

Famous: John Adams (signer of the Declaration of Independence and a U. S. president), John Quincy Adams (U. S. president), Michael Adams (United States ), Don Adams (actor, comic), Spencer Adams (professional baseball player), Francis Adams (19th century poet, dramatist, novelist and journalist), Ansel Adams (nature photographer), Samuel Adams (18th century American revolutionary), Nick Adams (actor) and Michael James Adams (United States astronaut).