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

Wilhelm Family History

Wilhelm Name Meaning

German: from the ancient Germanic personal name Willahalm composed of the elements wil ‘will desire’ + helm ‘helmet protection’.

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


Similar surnames: Widhalm, Wilbert, Willert, Will, Wilmer, Helm, Wichert, Wibbels

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 Wilhelm family from?

You can see how Wilhelm families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Wilhelm family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Wilhelm families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 70 Wilhelm families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 47% of all the recorded Wilhelm's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Wilhelm families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Wilhelm surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Wilhelm ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Wilhelm. 15% of Wilhelm men worked as a Farmer and 8% of Wilhelm women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Wilhelm were Carpenter and Clerk. .

View Census Data for Wilhelm | 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
    15%
  • Laborer
    14%
  • Salesman
    5%
  • Carpenter
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    8%
  • Stenographer
    6%
  • Housekeeper
    6%
  • Clerk
    6%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Wilhelm family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 78,000 census records available for the last name Wilhelm. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Wilhelm census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Wilhelm

Passenger Lists

There are 27,000 immigration records available for the last name Wilhelm. 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 Wilhelm immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 30,000 military records available for the last name Wilhelm. For the veterans among your Wilhelm ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Wilhelm military records

You've only scratched the surface of Wilhelm family history

Discover More

What is the average Wilhelm lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Wilhelm life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Wilhelm in 1940 was 51, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Wilhelm

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Wilhelm family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Wilhelm last name

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