History of your Surname
Get access to Willey family records.Start a free trial

Willey Family History

Willey Name Meaning

English: from a pet form of the personal name Will a short form of William . In some instances a variant of Wiley . Americanized form of Swiss German Willi .

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Tilley, Pilley, Wigley, Woolley, Lilly, Dilley, Wiley, Willy, Willen

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Willey family from?

You can see how Willey families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Willey family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Willey families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 101 Willey families living in New Hampshire. This was about 22% of all the recorded Willey's in USA. New Hampshire had the highest population of Willey families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Willey surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Willey ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Willey. 17% of Willey men worked as a Farmer and 9% of Willey women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Willey were Carpenter and Clerk. .

View Census Data for Willey | 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
    17%
  • Laborer
    16%
  • Salesman
    6%
  • Carpenter
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    9%
  • Housekeeper
    7%
  • Teacher
    6%
  • Clerk
    6%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Willey family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 130,000 census records available for the last name Willey. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Willey census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Willey

Passenger Lists

There are 8,000 immigration records available for the last name Willey. 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 Willey immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 20,000 military records available for the last name Willey. For the veterans among your Willey ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Willey military records

You've only scratched the surface of Willey family history

Discover More

What is the average Willey lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Willey life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Willey in 1945 was 35, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Willey

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Willey family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Willey last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial