The Wilkens surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 4,086 people carried this name — #8,114 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 71,900 people counted. That is up 3% from 3,954 in 2000.

Look up another surname

Share

What the name means

The meaning of the Wilkens surname

A surname originating as a patronymic.

Variant of Wilkin, from a Middle English pet form of William + patronymic suffix -s.

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

In Switzerland’s population statistics

30 people named Wilkens live in Switzerland.

They live in 6 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 10
Geneva 6
Basel-Landschaft 4
Lucerne 4
Aargau 3
Appenzell Ausserrhoden 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

114 people named Wilkens is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 114

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).

In print

Wilkens in American newspapers,
1922.

Newspaper page from The Milwaukee Leader carrying the name Wilkens
The Milwaukee Leader 1922-07-25
Newspaper page from The Ogden Standard-examiner carrying the name Wilkens
The Ogden Standard-examiner 1922-07-15
Newspaper page from Albuquerque Morning Journal carrying the name Wilkens
Albuquerque Morning Journal 1922-11-05

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

In print

Wilkens in Australian newspapers,
1850s–1980s.

445 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Wilkens. The most, 91, date from the 1980s. Victoria 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 Tasmania, at 4.9 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Victoria 112
Tasmania 108
New South Wales 82
South Australia 57
Queensland 44
Western Australia 21
ACT (Canberra) 18

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

Who carried it

People named Wilkens,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Christian Friedrich Wilkens
    Christian Friedrich Wilkens 1722–1784 · naturalist
  • Sophie Charlotte Wilkens
    Sophie Charlotte Wilkens 1817–1889 · philanthropist
  • Theodoor Wilkens 1690–1748 · painter
  • Johann Wilkens 1762–1815 · jurist
  • Martin Heinrich Wilkens 1782–1869 · goldsmith
  • Albert Wilkens 1790–1828 · writer

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 Wilkens,
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 States1,572 records

1,572 records of the Wilkens name in the United States
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 687
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 590
  • Other U.S. records 295
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record John C. Wilkens

    Born 1920 in Germany. Enlisted 1942 at Fort Jay Governors Island, New York; metal worker. U.S. Army Air Forces veteran of World War II; died 1996, buried at Woodlawn National Cemetery, New York.

    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 Walter B. Wilkens

    Born 1909 in Germany. Enlisted 1942 at Camp Upton Yaphank, New York; elevator operator. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1944, buried at Long Island National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Adelheid Wilkens

    Arrived at New York in 1904 aboard the Friedrich der Grosse from Southampton, aged 37; servant. From Brooklyn, Germany; bound for Brooklyn.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 1,572 records for Wilkens in the United States.

Counts: 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) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (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); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Netherlands5,461 records

5,461 records of the Wilkens name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 3,302
  • Dutch population registers 1,581
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 578
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Maria Catharina Wilkens

    Married in 1858 in Oldenzaal; day labourer. Died 1900 in Borne, aged 74.

    Open Archives, Collectie Overijssel locatie Zwolle (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Jan Wilkens

    Married in 1866 in Vries; farmer. Died 1913 in Winde (Vries), aged 79.

    Open Archives, Drents Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Gerhard Hermann Wilkens

    Married in 1875 in Vlagtwedde; farmer. Died 1884 in Ter Apel (Vlagtwedde), aged 44; labourer.

    Open Archives, Groninger Archieven (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 5,461 records for Wilkens 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).

Germany745 records

745 records of the Wilkens name in Germany
  • Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919 744
  • German emigration and citizenship files 1
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Wilhelm Wilkens

    Born 1890; from Bortfeld, Braunschweig. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 5 December 1918 (Infantry Regiment No. 368).

    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 Karl Wilkens

    Born 1888; from Walsrode, Fallingbostel. Reported missing in the Prussian casualty list of 2 January 1917; then reported dead in the list of 12 September 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 Heinrich Wilkens

    Born 1890; from Hamelwördener Moor, Kehdingen. Reported dead in the Prussian casualty list of 30 November 1918 (Field Artillery Regiment No. 233).

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

Showing 3 of 745 records for Wilkens 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).

Australia31 records

31 records of the Wilkens name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 18
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 8
  • Other Australian records 5
  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 Martha Wilkens

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Westmoreland, sailing from Woolwich in 1836. Native of Somerset.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Rosetta Wilkens

    Arrived in Victoria in 1854 aboard the James Carson, aged 25; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Charles Wilkens

    Salesman of Carlton, Victoria; died 1904.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 31 records for Wilkens 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). 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); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada14 records

14 records of the Wilkens name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 9
  • Ontario immigration records, 1865–1883 2
  • Other Canadian records 3
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Thos Wilkens

    Came to Ontario in 1879 aboard the Polynesian, landing at Quebec, bound for St. Mary's, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Freelove Wilkens

    Died 1949 in Bramber, Hants, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Mary Wilkens

    Buried in 1987 at Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver, British Columbia.

    City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver.

Showing 3 of 14 records for Wilkens in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

Norway9 records

9 records of the Wilkens name in Norway Norway's 1910 census
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Franz Albert Wilkens

    Census of 1910: Balders gate, Kristiania; customs officer, born 1846 in Horten.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Ruth Elfrida Wilkens

    Census of 1910: Løkkegaten, Horten; born 1885 in Kristiania.

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

Showing 2 of 9 records for Wilkens in Norway.

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).

France2 records

2 records of the Wilkens 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 Suzanne Wilkens

    Born 1908 in Paris; died 1998 in Draveil (Essonne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 1 of 2 records for Wilkens 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).

United Kingdom1 record

1 record of the Wilkens name in the United Kingdom St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Samuel Benjm Wilkens

    Buried in 1793 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 27.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Counts: MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Belgium1 record

1 record of the Wilkens name in Belgium Belgian church registers before 1811
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Peter Wilkens

    Married in 1792 in Lommel.

    Open Archives, Stad Lommel - Archiefdienst (CC BY 4.0)

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).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Wilkens.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Wilkens 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 Wilkens volume
Scroll to Top