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Wilhelms Family History

Wilhelms Surname Meaning

German: patronymic from Wilhelm.

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


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Where is the Wilhelms family from?

You can see how Wilhelms families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Wilhelms family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Wilhelms families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there was 1 Wilhelms family living in British Columbia. This was 100% of all the recorded Wilhelms's in Canada. British Columbia had the highest population of Wilhelms families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Wilhelms 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 Wilhelms ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Waitress were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Wilhelms. 32% of Wilhelms men worked as a Farmer and 24% of Wilhelms women worked as a Waitress. Some less common occupations for Americans named Wilhelms were Farming and Stenographer.

View Census Data for Wilhelms | 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

  • Farmer
    32%
  • Laborer
    11%
  • Carpenter
    8%
  • Farming
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Waitress
    24%
  • Housekeeper
    18%
  • Proprietor
    12%
  • Stenographer
    12%

What Wilhelms family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Wilhelms. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Wilhelms census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Wilhelms

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

There are 7,000 military records available for the last name Wilhelms. For the veterans among your Wilhelms ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Wilhelms military records

You've only scratched the surface of Wilhelms family history

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What is the average Wilhelms lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2004, in the United States, Wilhelms life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1991, and highest in 1987. The average life expectancy for Wilhelms in 1962 was 69, and 86 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Wilhelms

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Wilhelms 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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