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

Willoughby Family History

Willoughby Name Meaning

English: habitational name from any of various places called Willoughby for example in Leicestershire Lincolnshire Nottinghamshire and Warwickshire. They are named from an Old English +wilig ‘willow’ + Old Norse ‘farmstead village’.

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


Similar surnames: Wilby, Willey, Slough, Gillingham, Willingham, Dillingham, Fillingham

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 Willoughby family from?

You can see how Willoughby families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Willoughby family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Willoughby families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 267 Willoughby families living in Ontario. This was about 65% of all the recorded Willoughby's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Willoughby families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Willoughby surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Willoughby ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Willoughby. 37% of Willoughby men worked as a Farmer and 13% of Willoughby women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Willoughby were Clerk and School Teacher. .

View Census Data for Willoughby | 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 1921

  • Farmer
    37%
  • Labourer
    14%
  • Laborer
    10%
  • Clerk
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Teacher
    13%
  • Operator
    11%
  • Stenographer
    8%
  • School Teacher
    8%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Willoughby family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 118,000 census records available for the last name Willoughby. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Willoughby census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Willoughby

Passenger Lists

There are 10,000 immigration records available for the last name Willoughby. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Willoughby immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 19,000 military records available for the last name Willoughby. For the veterans among your Willoughby ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Willoughby military records

You've only scratched the surface of Willoughby family history

Discover More

What is the average Willoughby lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Willoughby life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Willoughby in 1941 was 56, and 69 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Willoughby

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Willoughby family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Willoughby last name

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