The Wallis surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 11,594 people carried this name — #3,104 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 25,400 people counted. That is up 3% from 11,279 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Wallis surname

An English ethnic surname transferred from the nickname for someone with Welsh ancestry.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Wallis» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘the Welsh’.

An early record he cites: Henry le Waleis, Wiltshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

His entry covers Wallace, Wallis, Walsh, Welch and Welsh.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 790 · public domain.

In Poland’s population register

54 people named Wallis have a registered home in Poland.

Of the 85 in Poland’s national register, these are the ones with a permanent address on file. They live in 10 of Poland’s 16 voivodeships, most of all in Lower Silesian.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Lower Silesian 9
Lesser Poland 9
Silesian 7
West Pomeranian 7
Łódź 5
Pomeranian 5
Lubusz 5
Masovian 3

PESEL register, Ministry of Digital Affairs of Poland (dane.gov.pl) — CC0 · living people by voivodeship of permanent residence, 20 January 2026.

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 41 people named Wallis.

Most of them — 24 — were born outside France. Those born in France came from 9 départements, most often Guadeloupe.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born

Born outside France 24
Guadeloupe 4
French Polynesia 2
Seine-Maritime 2
Paris 2
Pas-de-Calais 2
Nord 2
French Guiana 1
Maine-et-Loire 1

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

In the Nordic population registers

98 people named Wallis are counted in Sweden and Finland.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published. Finland counts its citizens, at home or abroad.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 63
Finland (2026) 35

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown) · Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), Finland, surname statistics, August 2026 — CC BY 4.0.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Wallis was found among the farmers of 9 counties.

It was most frequent in Cambridgeshire: 27 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 370. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Cambridgeshire 27
Wiltshire 23
Cornwall 17
Derbyshire 17
Somerset 15
Kent 12
Staffordshire 12
Yorkshire, North and East Ridings 10

And 1 more county.

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In Scotland’s registers today

Wallis was recorded 12 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 1665th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In print

Wallis in American newspapers,
1901.

Newspaper page from The Beatrice Daily Express carrying the name Wallis
The Beatrice Daily Express 1901-03-08
Newspaper page from Rock Island Argus carrying the name Wallis
Rock Island Argus 1901-04-04

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 3,686 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Wallis in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2010s.

67,356 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Wallis. The most, 13,323, date from the 1930s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Victoria, at 1.3 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 20,313
Victoria 18,614
South Australia 10,149
Queensland 7,776
Western Australia 6,982
Tasmania 2,724
ACT (Canberra) 492
Northern Territory 66

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Wallis.

Who carried it

People named Wallis,
with a public archive behind them.

  • William Wallis d. 1737 · politician
  • William Wallis d. 1737 · politician
  • Thomas Wallis d. 1839 · engraver
  • John Wallis d. 1818 · bookseller
  • John Wallis d. 1818 · bookseller
  • Elisa Wallis d. 1844

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Wallis,
in the records of 8 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,448 records

1,448 records of the Wallis name in the United States
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 436
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 364
  • Other U.S. records 648
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Charles S. Wallis

    Born 1911 in Missouri. Enlisted 1942 at Tulsa, Oklahoma; secondary school teacher. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1998, buried at Fort Gibson National Cemetery, Oklahoma.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Marie P. Wallis

    Born 1901 in Iowa. Enlisted 1944 in the Women's Army Corps at Santa Fe, New Mexico; social worker. Veteran of World War II; died 1975, buried at Santa Fe National Cemetery, New Mexico.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record George W. Wallis

    Born 1922 in Mississippi. Enlisted 1946 at Keesler Field Biloxi; farm hand. U.S. Army veteran of World War II and the Korean War; died 2001, buried at Biloxi National Cemetery, Mississippi.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)

Showing 3 of 1,448 records for Wallis in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain).

Australia2,423 records

2,423 records of the Wallis name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 1,257
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 574
  • Other Australian records 592
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Jesse Wallis

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Mount Stewart Elphinstone, sailing from Gibraltar in 1848. Native of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1848.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record William Wallis

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Cressy in 1843. Native of Smithfield, Middlesex. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1849.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Richard Batley Wallis

    Died 1854 in Launceston, Tasmania, aged 34. Will registered in Tasmania in 1854.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 2,423 records for Wallis in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · City of Ballarat, Avenue of Honour Plaques (CC BY 3.0 AU). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Netherlands199 records

199 records of the Wallis name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 75
  • Dutch population registers 64
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 60
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Cornelis Wallis

    Married in 1907 in Muiden; "onderofficier". Died 1962 in Nijkerk, aged 85.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Wilhelmina Margrita Wallis

    Born 1882 in Harderwijk. Married in 1913 in Harderwijk. Died 1966 in Nijkerk, aged 83.

    Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Johannes Cornelis Wallis

    Born 1913 in Utrecht. Married in 1944 in Wijchen; head teacher.

    Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 199 records for Wallis in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Canada152 records

152 records of the Wallis name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 81
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 19
  • Other Canadian records 52
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Francis Wallis

    Came to Ontario in 1879 aboard the Polynesian, landing at Quebec, bound for Hamilton, Ontario; Irish.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Bessie Wallis

    Buried in 1966 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 75.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Elizabeth Ann Wallis

    Buried in 1985 at Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia, aged 82.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.

Showing 3 of 152 records for Wallis in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

United Kingdom110 records

110 records of the Wallis name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 62
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 38
  • Other British records 10
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Annie Lambert Wallis

    Died 1918, aged 38; buried at Bannockburn Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary Ann Wallis

    Buried in 1848 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 40.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Jane Wallis

    Will proved in 1932; of Swansea.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)

Showing 3 of 110 records for Wallis in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Germany110 records

110 records of the Wallis name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Karl Wallis

    Born 1891; from Burgsdorf, Mansfeld. Reported dead in the Prussian casualty list of 28 December 1916.

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Paul Wallis

    Born 1878; from Sophienthal, Lebus. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 2 December 1918.

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  3. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Rolf Wallis

    From Leezdorf, Norden. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 3 July 1918.

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Showing 3 of 110 records for Wallis in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).

New Zealand53 records

53 records of the Wallis name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 33
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 14
  • Other New Zealand records 6
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Helen Elizabeth Wallis

    Died 1913, aged 63; buried at Sydenham Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Thomas Wallis

    Buried in 1912 at Shortland Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 75.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Richard Victor Wallis

    Died 1949, aged 48; buried at Omaka Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 53 records for Wallis in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France10 records

10 records of the Wallis name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Edith Marie Wallis

    Born 1913 in Dunkerque; died 1997 in Dunkerque (Nord).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Benjamin Wallis

    Born 1923 in the United Kingdom; died 1988 in the United Kingdom.

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 10 records for Wallis in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Wallis.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Wallis is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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