The Welling surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 4,164 people carried this name — #7,947 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 70,900 people counted. That is up 13% from 3,678 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Welling surname

As an English and Welsh surname

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

An early record he cites: William de Wellynge, Norfolk, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

His entry covers Welling and Wellen.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 801 · public domain.

In Switzerland’s population statistics

22 people named Welling live in Switzerland.

They live in 5 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Zurich.

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

Where they live today

Zurich 6
Vaud 5
Solothurn 4
Zug 4
Geneva 3

Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.

In the Nordic population registers

383 people named Welling is counted in Finland.

Finland counts its citizens, at home or abroad.

Counted, by country

Finland (2026) 383

Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), Finland, surname statistics, August 2026 — CC BY 4.0.

In print

Welling in American newspapers,
1920–1921.

Newspaper page from The Birmingham Age-herald carrying the name Welling
The Birmingham Age-herald 1920-11-27
Newspaper page from Great Falls Daily Tribune carrying the name Welling
Great Falls Daily Tribune 1920-11-27
Newspaper page from East St. Louis Daily Journal carrying the name Welling
East St. Louis Daily Journal 1921-02-25

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain.

In print

Welling in Australian newspapers,
1830s–1990s.

4,630 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Welling. The most, 1,220, date from the 1930s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Tasmania, at 4.1 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Tasmania 1,174
New South Wales 1,087
Victoria 1,005
Queensland 601
South Australia 532
Western Australia 202
ACT (Canberra) 6

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

Who carried it

People named Welling,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Heinrich Welling
    Heinrich Welling 1555–1620 · university teacher
  • Richard Welling
    Richard Welling 1858–1946 · lawyer
  • William F. Welling d. 2002
  • Margarethe Welling 1516– · nun
  • Gotthard Welling 1615–1661 · military personnel
  • Gotthard Welling 1615–1659 · military personnel

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Welling,
in the records of 9 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 States547 records

547 records of the Welling name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 166
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 160
  • Other U.S. records 221
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Woodrow J. Welling

    Born 1917 in Idaho. Enlisted 1942 at Salt Lake City, Utah; mechanic from Idaho County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 2001, buried at Burton County Cemetery, Logan, Utah.

    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 Charles J. Welling

    Born 1909 in Missouri. Enlisted 1942 at Jefferson Barracks; bank clerk. U.S. Army Air Forces veteran of World War II; died 1997, buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Missouri.

    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 Max M. Welling

    Born 1916 in Utah. Enlisted 1943 at Salt Lake City; stock clerk. U.S. Army Air Forces veteran of World War II; died 1991, buried at Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Boulder City, Nevada.

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

Showing 3 of 547 records for Welling in the United States.

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

Netherlands4,961 records

4,961 records of the Welling name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 2,708
  • Dutch population registers 2,000
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 253
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Johannes Welling

    Married in 1905 in Renkum; teacher. Died 1967 in Halsteren.

    Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Anna Catharina Welling

    Married in 1844 in Wehl; labourer. Died 1885 in Wehl, aged 73.

    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 Johann Gerhard Welling

    Married in 1887 in Hengelo; farmer. Died 1923 in Hengelo, aged 78.

    Open Archives, Collectie Overijssel locatie Zwolle (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 4,961 records for Welling 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).

Germany151 records

151 records of the Welling name in Germany
  • Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919 150
  • German applications to settle and marry 1
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list August Welling

    Born 1891; from Gr. Aschen, Melle. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 23 July 1915 (Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 73).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Nikolaus Welling

    Named in an application to settle and marry at Geisfeld in 1856.

    Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek / Staatsarchiv Bamberg (CC0)
  3. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Eduard Welling

    From Duisburg-Beeck. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 22 May 1915 (Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 130).

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

Showing 3 of 151 records for Welling in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0) · Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek (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); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Australia133 records

133 records of the Welling name in Australia
  • Tasmanian Names Index 87
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 20
  • Other Australian records 26
  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 William Welling

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Phoenix, sailing from England in 1824. Native of Belfast, Antrim. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1845.

    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 George Welling

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Earl Grey, sailing from Plymouth in 1842. Native of Albury, Hertfordshire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1848. Married 1848 in Westbury, Tasmania, aged 28.

    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 John Welling

    Died 1919 in Launceston, Tasmania. Will registered in Tasmania in 1920.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 133 records for Welling in Australia.

Counts: Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY). 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).

Canada11 records

11 records of the Welling name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 5
  • City of Winnipeg cemetery records 3
  • Other Canadian records 3
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Marjorie Norma Welling

    Died 1998, aged 61; buried at St. Vital Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record John W. Welling

    Died 1919 in Amherst, Cumberland, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 2 of 11 records for Welling in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

France7 records

7 records of the Welling 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 Aime Hubert Marie Welling

    Born 1903 in Aube (Moselle); died 1982 in Pont-à-Mousson (Meurthe-et-Moselle).

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

    Born 1913 in Yutz (Moselle); died 1987 in Paris.

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 7 records for Welling 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).

Finland6 records

6 records of the Welling name in Finland
  • Finland's war dead, 1939–1945 5
  • Finland's war dead, 1914–1922 1
  1. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record Johannes Welling

    Born 1915 in Kirvu; farmer. Died in 1941 during Finland's wars of 1939–1945; buried in Kaukola.

    Kansallisarkisto, via WarSampo (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record Antti Antinpoika Welling

    Born 1882; labourer. Died in 1918, one of the dead of Finland's wars of 1914–1922.

    Kansallisarkisto, via Sotasurmasampo (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 6 records for Welling in Finland.

Counts: Kansallisarkisto, via WarSampo (CC BY 4.0) · Kansallisarkisto, via Sotasurmasampo (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

United Kingdom5 records

5 records of the Welling name in the United Kingdom War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record W. Welling

    East Lancashire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record S. G. Welling

    Royal Sussex Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 2 of 5 records for Welling in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Norway1 record

1 record of the Welling name in Norway Norway's 1910 census
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Christine Welling

    Census of 1910: Strømgate, Bergen; born 1840 in Bergen.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)

Counts: Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Welling.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Welling 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.

See the Welling volume
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