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

Wiliams Family History

Wiliams Name Meaning

English and Welsh: variant of Williams .

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


Similar surnames: Willams, Millam, Willets, Iams, Wilham, Winham, Wilts, Golias

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 Wiliams family from?

You can see how Wiliams families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Wiliams family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Wiliams families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 14 Wiliams families living in Ontario. This was about 35% of all the recorded Wiliams's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Wiliams families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Wiliams surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Wiliams ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Wiliams. 27% of Wiliams men worked as a Laborer and 15% of Wiliams women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Wiliams were Truck Driver and Laundress. .

View Census Data for Wiliams | 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.

United States shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    27%
  • Farmer
    21%
  • Salesman
    6%
  • Truck Driver
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    15%
  • Cook
    12%
  • Laborer
    9%
  • Laundress
    7%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Wiliams family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 13,000 census records available for the last name Wiliams. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Wiliams census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Wiliams

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Wiliams. 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 Wiliams immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Wiliams. For the veterans among your Wiliams ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Wiliams military records

You've only scratched the surface of Wiliams family history

Discover More

What is the average Wiliams lifespan?

Between 1968 and 2004, in the United States, Wiliams life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1996, and highest in 1989. The average life expectancy for Wiliams in 1968 was 73, and 61 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Wiliams

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Wiliams family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Wiliams last name

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