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Willes Family History

Willes Name Meaning

English: variant of Wills .

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


Similar surnames: Illes, Milles, Walles, Willets, Willey, Willet, Wildes, Welles

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 Willes family from?

You can see how Willes families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Willes family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Willes families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1840 there were 13 Willes families living in New York. This was about 31% of all the recorded Willes's in USA. New York had the highest population of Willes families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Willes 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 Willes ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Willes. 15% of Willes men worked as a General Labourer and 79% of Willes women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Willes were Retired and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Willes | 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.

England shown, United States data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    15%
  • Builders Labourer
    15%
  • Railway Clerk
    15%
  • Retired
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    79%
  • Private Means
    6%
  • Incapacitated
    4%
  • Housekeeper
    4%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Willes family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 26,000 census records available for the last name Willes. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Willes census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Willes

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Willes. 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 Willes immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Willes. For the veterans among your Willes ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Willes military records

You've only scratched the surface of Willes family history

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What is the average Willes lifespan?

Between 1956 and 2004, in the United States, Willes life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1956, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Willes in 1956 was 40, and 80 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Willes

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