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Willing Family History

Willing Name Meaning

German: patronymic from Wille . German: habitational name from any of several places in Bavaria named Willing or places in Hesse and near Soltau named Willingen. English: habitational name from Willing in Rattery (Devon). The placename appears to derive from Old English willen weak plural form of willa wella ‘well spring stream’. English: perhaps a nickname from Middle English willing ‘willing’.

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

Similar surnames: Pilling, Welling, Gilling, Wilding, Billing, Helling, Willig, Illing

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Where is the Willing family from?

You can see how Willing families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Willing family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Willing families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 31 Willing families living in Ontario. This was about 47% of all the recorded Willing's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Willing families in 1911.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Willing surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

View Census Data for Willing

What did your Willing ancestors do for a living?

View Census Data for Willing | Data not to scale

Top Male Occupations In 1921

Farmer
43%
Salesman
22%
Laborer
22%
Engineer
15%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

Housekeeper
50%
Nurse
50%

Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Willing family records will you find?

Census Records
There are 24,000 census records available for the last name Willing. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Willing census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.
Search Canadian census records for Willing
Passenger Lists
There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Willing. 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 Willing immigration records
Draft Cards
There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Willing. For the veterans among your Willing ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.
View all Willing military records

Census Records

There are 24,000 census records available for the last name Willing. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Willing census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Willing

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Willing. For the veterans among your Willing ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Willing military records

You've only scratched the surface of Willing family history

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What is the average Willing lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Willing life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1960, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for Willing in 1945 was 55, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Willing

Browse profiles of historical people with the Willing last name