Edmunds

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A masculine given name or family name, often a English form of Edmund used by people with that surname
2. A proper name for a man, or a family surname, derived from the Old English name Eadmund meaning rich protector
3. Used as a male first name or a surname, most often associated with people who carry that family name

Etymology: "Edmunds" is a surname-style noun formed directly from the given name Edmund, with the English patronymic ending "-s" added to it. In medieval England, many surnames were built this way: "Edmund's son" or "a man belonging to Edmund" became "Edmunds," just as "Johns," "Williams," and "Roberts" arose from other first names. The name behind it, Edmund, is Old English "Ēadmund," combining "ēad," meaning "wealth" or "prosperity," with "mund," meaning "protection." The name was borne by Saint Edmund, the 9th-century East Anglian king, whose cult made the name popular in England. Today "Edmunds" is most often encountered as a family name rather than a common noun.