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Wils Family History

Wils 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: Wild, Will, Wilk, Hils, Wiles, Wile, Dils, Wills, Wiss, Fils

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 Wils family from?

You can see how Wils families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Wils family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Wils families were found in Canada in 1911. In 1840 there were 2 Wils families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 67% of all the recorded Wils's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Wils families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Wils 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 Wils ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Saleslady were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Wils. 46% of Wils men worked as a Laborer and 50% of Wils women worked as a Saleslady. Some less common occupations for Americans named Wils were Manager and Teacher. .

View Census Data for Wils | 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

  • Laborer
    46%
  • Salesman
    23%
  • Farmer
    14%
  • Manager
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Saleslady
    50%
  • Teacher
    50%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Wils family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Wils. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Wils census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Wils

Passenger Lists

There are 889 immigration records available for the last name Wils. 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 Wils immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Wils military records

You've only scratched the surface of Wils family history

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What is the average Wils lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Wils life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2004, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Wils in 1963 was 84, and 43 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Wils

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Wils family tree

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