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Wilse Family History

Wilse Name Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Wise, Wilde, Wile, Wiese, Wille, Wiltse, Wilsey, Wilke, Ilse, Wisse

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Wilse family from?

You can see how Wilse families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Wilse family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Wilse families were found in USA in 1920. In 1840 there were 2 Wilse families living in New York. This was about 50% of all the recorded Wilse's in USA. New York had the highest population of Wilse families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Wilse surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Wilse ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Wilse. 28% of Wilse men worked as a Farmer and 43% of Wilse women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Wilse were Clerk and Teacher. .

View Census Data for Wilse | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    28%
  • Laborer
    19%
  • Salesman
    11%
  • Clerk
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    43%
  • Waitress
    29%
  • Teacher
    29%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Wilse family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Wilse. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Wilse census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Wilse

Passenger Lists

There are 256 immigration records available for the last name Wilse. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Wilse immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 183 military records available for the last name Wilse. For the veterans among your Wilse ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Wilse military records

You've only scratched the surface of Wilse family history

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What is the average Wilse lifespan?

Between 1972 and 2000, in the United States, Wilse life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1998, and highest in 1992. The average life expectancy for Wilse in 1972 was 69, and 78 in 2000.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Wilse

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