The Wilkes surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 18,314 people carried this name — #1,975 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 16,100 people counted. That is up 3% from 17,797 in 2000.

See Wilkes on the map Look up another surname

Share

What the name means

The meaning of the Wilkes surname

A surname originating as a patronymic.

From Wilk, a back-formation from Wilkin + the patronymic suffix -s.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Wilkes» (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 baptismal name, from a given name: ‘the son of William’.

An early record he cites: Thomas Wylkson, 1379 — Poll Tax, West Riding of Yorkshire.

His entry covers Wilkes and Wilks.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 814 · public domain.

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 31 people named Wilkes.

Most of them — 17 — were born outside France. Those born in France came from 3 départements, most often Bouches-du-Rhône.

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

Where they were born

Born outside France 17
Bouches-du-Rhône 11
Paris 2
Gironde 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

22 people named Wilkes is counted in Sweden.

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

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 22

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).

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Wilkes was found among the farmers of 3 counties.

It was most frequent in Shropshire: 36 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 278. 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. His list gives one count for the spellings Wilkes and Wilks.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Shropshire 36
Worcestershire 18
Warwickshire 15

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 print

Wilkes in American newspapers,
1901–1919.

Newspaper page from The Lexington Advertiser carrying the name Wilkes
The Lexington Advertiser 1919-07-04
Newspaper page from The Lexington Advertiser carrying the name Wilkes
The Lexington Advertiser 1908-07-24
Newspaper page from Wauwatosa News carrying the name Wilkes
Wauwatosa News 1901-07-27

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 4,653 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Wilkes in Australian newspapers,
1820s–1990s.

14,710 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Wilkes. The most, 2,534, date from the 1940s. 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 Western Australia, at 1.8 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 4,612
Queensland 3,561
Victoria 2,180
Western Australia 2,179
Tasmania 902
South Australia 869
ACT (Canberra) 345
Northern Territory 9

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

Who carried it

People named Wilkes,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Thomas Wilkes d. 1530 · politician
  • Benjamin Wilkes d. 1749 · entomologist
  • Lucretia Astley d. 1717
  • Richard Wilkes 1505–1556 · academic
  • Thomas Wilkes 1545–1598 · politician
  • Richard Wilkes 1666–1740

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

In the public record

People named Wilkes,
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 States1,422 records

1,422 records of the Wilkes name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 600
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 253
  • Other U.S. records 569
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record John Grady Wilkes

    Born 1946; from Nashville, Tennessee. U.S. Army, engineer tracked vehicle crewman; died in an accident 1970 in Tay Ninh, South Vietnam. Buried at Nashville National Cemetery, Tennessee.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (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 William C. Wilkes

    Born 1921 in Georgia. Enlisted 1942 at Fort McPherson Atlanta; farmer. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 2001, buried at Antioch Christian Ch Cemetery, Watkinsville, Georgia.

    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 Lottie Wilkes

    Arrived at New York in 1885 aboard the City of Rome from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 17; servant. From Liverpool, England.

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

Showing 3 of 1,422 records for Wilkes in the United States.

Counts: 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, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · 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) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Netherlands1,850 records

1,850 records of the Wilkes name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 910
  • Dutch population registers 539
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 401
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Jacobus Wilkes

    Married in 1836 in Groningen; shoemaker. Died 1871 in Groningen, aged 69.

    Open Archives, Groninger Archieven (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Willem Wilkes

    Married in 1843 in Epe; farrier. Died 1848 in Vaassen, aged 58.

    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 Petrus Wilkes

    Married in 1877 in Bloemendaal; bricklayer. Died 1909 in Haarlem, aged 57.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 1,850 records for Wilkes 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).

Australia613 records

613 records of the Wilkes name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 291
  • Tasmanian Names Index 135
  • Other Australian records 187
  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 Mary Ann Wilkes

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Asia, sailing from London in 1847. Native of Birmingham, Warwickshire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1850.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Hannah Elizabeth Wilkes

    Born 1875 in Launceston, Tasmania. Married 1897 in Launceston, Tasmania, aged 22.

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

    Arrived in Victoria in 1909 aboard the Zieten, aged 14.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 613 records for Wilkes 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). 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); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada92 records

92 records of the Wilkes name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 36
  • City of Winnipeg cemetery records 25
  • Other Canadian records 31
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Philip Theodore Wilkes

    Died 1944, aged 67; buried at St. Vital Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Ivan Clarence Wilkes

    Buried in 1986 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 79.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Elizabeth C. F. Wilkes

    Died 1941 in Pictou, Nova Scotia.

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

Showing 3 of 92 records for Wilkes 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. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. 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).

Germany78 records

78 records of the Wilkes name in Germany
  • Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919 77
  • 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 Hermann Wilkes

    From Treien, Herford. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 28 October 1914 (Infantry Regiment No. 173).

    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 Jakob Wilkes

    From Kruft, Andernach. Reported dead in the Prussian casualty list of 3 November 1916 (Infantry Regiment No. 165).

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

Showing 2 of 78 records for Wilkes 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).

United Kingdom50 records

50 records of the Wilkes name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 35
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 10
  • Other British records 5
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Margaret Wilkes

    Died 1928, aged 30; buried at Bannockburn Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Emily Wilkes

    Will proved in 1937; of Deganwy, Carnarvon.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Edward Wilkes

    Buried in 1818 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 45.

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

Showing 3 of 50 records for Wilkes 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. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · Stirling Council. 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); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

New Zealand16 records

16 records of the Wilkes name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 10
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 5
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Edith Frances Wilkes

    Died 1983, aged 80; buried at Ruru Lawn, 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 Rodney Douglas Harman Wilkes

    Died 1994, aged 59; buried at Fairhall Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 16 records for Wilkes in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough 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).

France7 records

7 records of the Wilkes 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 Cyril Wilkes

    Born 1923 in Great Britain; died 1994 in Nice (Alpes-Maritimes).

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

    Born 1945 in Great Britain; died 2000 in Roquefort-les-Pins (Alpes-Maritimes).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 7 records for Wilkes 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).

Other spellings of this name

The same name, spelled another way.

Spellings that H. B. Guppy (England and Wales, 1890) or the Registrar-General for Ireland (births index of 1890) counted as one name together with Wilkes.

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Wilkes.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Wilkes 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 Wilkes volume
Scroll to Top