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Willes Family History

Willes Surname Meaning

English: variant of Wills.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Willes family from?

You can see how Willes families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Willes family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Willes families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 86 Willes families living in Ontario. This was about 48% of all the recorded Willes's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Willes families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Willes 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 Willes ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Laundry were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Willes. 42% of Willes men worked as a Farmer and 34% of Willes women worked as a Laundry. Some less common occupations for Americans named Willes were Carpenter and Dressmaker.

View Census Data for Willes | 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
    42%
  • Laborer
    25%
  • Labourer
    14%
  • Carpenter
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Laundry
    34%
  • Income
    34%
  • Dressmaker
    34%

What Willes family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 26,000 census records available for the last name Willes. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Willes census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Willes

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

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

View all Willes military records

You've only scratched the surface of Willes family history

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What is the average Willes lifespan?

Between 1956 and 2004, in the United States, Willes life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1956, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Willes in 1956 was 40, and 80 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Willes

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Willes 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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