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Wil Family History

Wil Surname 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: Kil, Wild, Will, Wilk, Weil, Gil, Wile, Win, Wilt, Wilm

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Wil family from?

You can see how Wil families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Wil family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1851 and 1920. The most Wil families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 3 Wil families living in Nova Scotia. This was 100% of all the recorded Wil's in Canada. Nova Scotia had the highest population of Wil families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Wil surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Wil ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Waitress were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Wil. 44% of Wil men worked as a Laborer and 34% of Wil women worked as a Waitress. Some less common occupations for Americans named Wil were Clerk and Maid.

View Census Data for Wil | 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
    44%
  • Farmer
    44%
  • Clerk
    13%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Waitress
    34%
  • Housewife
    34%
  • Maid
    34%

What Wil family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Wil. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Wil census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Wil

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

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

View all Wil military records

You've only scratched the surface of Wil family history

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What is the average Wil lifespan?

Between 1996 and 2001, in the United States, Wil life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1996, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Wil in 1996 was 41, and 86 in 2001.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Wil

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Wil ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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