The Willman surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 4,137 people carried this name — #7,995 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 71,400 people counted. That is up 2% from 4,062 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Willman surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as an occupational name: ‘Will-man’.

An early record he cites: Simon Willeman, Cambridgeshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

His entry covers Wilman, Wileman and Willman.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 815 · public domain.

In Poland’s population register

46 people named Willman have a registered home in Poland.

Of the 68 in Poland’s national register, these are the ones with a permanent address on file. They live in 7 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 11
Lesser Poland 10
West Pomeranian 10
Masovian 5
Warmian-Masurian 5
Opole 3
Silesian 2

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

In the Nordic population registers

1,152 people named Willman are counted in Finland and Sweden.

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

Finland (2026) 700
Sweden (2022) 452

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.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

In 1790, Willman was counted together with Wilman: 21 families in all.

Each family is counted by its head. About 101 people lived in those households, 4.8 to a family on average. The census counted these spellings together: Wilman, Williman, Willimans, Willman, Willmon. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Maine 7
South Carolina 4
Pennsylvania 3
Vermont 2
Connecticut 2
New York 1
Maryland 1
North Carolina 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 268 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Willman in American newspapers,
1924.

Newspaper page from The Washington Times carrying the name Willman
The Washington Times 1924-03-27
Newspaper page from The Washington Times carrying the name Willman
The Washington Times 1924-03-28
Newspaper page from The Washington Times carrying the name Willman
The Washington Times 1924-03-31

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 13,002 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Willman in Australian newspapers,
1840s–2000s.

1,841 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Willman. The most, 431, date from the 1910s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in New South Wales, at 1.4 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 836
Victoria 423
Queensland 406
Western Australia 109
South Australia 32
Tasmania 21
ACT (Canberra) 12

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

Who carried it

People named Willman,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Anders Willman
    Anders Willman 1834–1898 · actor
  • Jöns Willman d. 1705 · painter and varnisher
  • Lars Wilsdorff 1600–1726 · military personnel
  • Olof Eriksson Willman 1620–1673 · explorer
  • Olof Willman 1780–1844 · violist
  • Carolina von Rosen 1803–1863 · draftsperson

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 Willman,
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 States407 records

407 records of the Willman name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 138
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 76
  • Other U.S. records 193
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Osmo A. Willman

    Born 1919 in Massachusetts. Enlisted 1939 at Boston; stock clerk. U.S. Army Air Forces veteran of World War II; died 1990, buried at Massachusetts National Cemetery, Massachusetts.

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

    Arrived at New York in 1845 aboard the Emerald from Havre, aged 64; farmer. From France; bound for Buffalo.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Gary Lynn Willman

    Born 1949; from Dallas, Texas. U.S. Marine Corps, mortarman; killed in action 1968 in Quang Nam, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 407 records for Willman in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · 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, 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); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Australia74 records

74 records of the Willman name in Australia
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 33
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 19
  • Other Australian records 22
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Willm Willman

    Arrived in Victoria in 1852 aboard the Bangalore, aged 29; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Thomas L. Willman

    Farmer of Bendigo, Victoria; died 1973.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record William Coates Willman

    Of Sydney, New South Wales; died 1881.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)

Showing 3 of 74 records for Willman in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: 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); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Norway35 records

35 records of the Willman name in Norway Norway's 1910 census
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Jonas Willman

    Census of 1910: Wiggen, Børsen; farmer, born 1870 in Børsen.

    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 Synøve Willman

    Census of 1910: Nedre Baklandet, Trondhjem; born 1901 in Strinden.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)
  3. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Gunveig Willman

    Census of 1910: Sommero og Karlseng, Strinden; born 1883 in Strinden.

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

Showing 3 of 35 records for Willman 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).

Canada18 records

18 records of the Willman name in Canada
  • City of Winnipeg cemetery records 9
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 8
  • Ontario immigration records, 1865–1883 1
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Chas Willman

    Came to Ontario in 1870 aboard the European, landing at Quebec, bound for Orillia, Ontario; English.

    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 Josephine Marie Willman

    Died 1982, aged 80; buried at St. Vital Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Esther Ann Willman

    Died 1955 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

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

Showing 3 of 18 records for Willman in Canada.

Counts: City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · 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. 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); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Netherlands10 records

10 records of the Willman name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 6
  • Dutch population registers 2
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 2
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Johan Anton Heinrich Willman

    Married in 1822 in Loppersum; day labourer. Died 1861 in Wirdum (Loppersum), aged 64.

    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 Hendrik Willman

    Born 1825 in Wirdum (Loppersum). Married in 1850 in Appingedam; farmhand.

    Open Archives, Groninger Archieven (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Maria Willman

    Died 1935 in Heerlen, aged 73.

    Open Archives, Regionaal Historisch Centrum Limburg (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 10 records for Willman 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); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Finland9 records

9 records of the Willman name in Finland
  • Finland's war dead, 1914–1922 5
  • Finland's war dead, 1939–1945 4
  1. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record Juho Kustaa Willman

    Born 1862 in Kangasala; general labourer. Died in 1918 in Tampere, one of the dead of Finland's wars of 1914–1922.

    Kansallisarkisto, via Sotasurmasampo (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 Eetu Willman

    Born 1915 in Juuka; farmer. Died in 1940 during Finland's wars of 1939–1945; buried in Juuka.

    Kansallisarkisto, via WarSampo (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record Eero Aulis Willman

    Born 1924 in Kotka; postman. Died in 1944 during Finland's wars of 1939–1945; buried in Lahti.

    Kansallisarkisto, via WarSampo (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 9 records for Willman in Finland.

Counts: Kansallisarkisto, via Sotasurmasampo (CC BY 4.0) · Kansallisarkisto, via WarSampo (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).

New Zealand2 records

2 records of the Willman name in New Zealand Christchurch City cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Freda Willman

    Died 1971, aged 81; buried at Lyttelton Catholic 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 William Willman

    Died 1964, aged 80; buried at Lyttelton Catholic Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Christchurch City 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).

France2 records

2 records of the Willman 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 Emilienne Willman

    Born 1918 in Paris; died 1991 in Paris.

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

    Born 1908 in Germany; died 1998 in Germany.

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

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 Willman.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Willman 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 Willman volume
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