The Willson surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 9,659 people carried this name — #3,679 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 30,600 people counted. That is up 6% from 9,154 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Willson surname

A surname originating as a patronymic.

From Will (short form of the given name William) + -son. A less common variant of Wilson.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Willson» (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: Adam Wyllson, 1379 — Poll Tax, West Riding of Yorkshire.

His entry covers Wilson and Willson.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 816 · public domain.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

In 1790, Willson was counted together with Wilson: 1,765 families in all.

Each family is counted by its head. About 9,797 people lived in those households, 5.6 to a family on average. The census counted these spellings together: Wilson, Willirson, Willison, Willisson, Willson, Willston, Wilsen, Wilsin. 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

Pennsylvania 380
North Carolina 276
Maryland 199
Virginia 163
South Carolina 163
New York 143
Massachusetts 121
New Hampshire 101
Connecticut 92
Vermont 58
Maine 53
Rhode Island 16

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. 269 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Willson in American newspapers,
1876–1913.

Newspaper page from The Austin Weekly Statesman carrying the name Willson
The Austin Weekly Statesman 1890-10-30
Newspaper page from The Oskaloosa Herald carrying the name Willson
The Oskaloosa Herald 1913-09-25
Newspaper page from Decorah-posten carrying the name Willson
Decorah-posten 1876-11-09

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 95,486 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Willson in Australian newspapers,
1820s–1990s.

9,617 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Willson. The most, 1,509, 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 South Australia, at 2.7 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

South Australia 3,002
New South Wales 2,502
Queensland 2,060
Victoria 1,066
Tasmania 511
Western Australia 355
ACT (Canberra) 89
Northern Territory 12

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

Who carried it

People named Willson,
with a public archive behind them.

  • David Willson
    David Willson 1778–1866
  • Lucy Maria Willson d. 1909
  • Alice Mary Willson d. 1932
  • Ann Willson d. 1719
  • Crowell Willson 1762–1832 · politician
  • John Willson 1776–1860 · judge

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 Willson,
in the records of 7 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 States1,178 records

1,178 records of the Willson name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 297
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 294
  • Other U.S. records 587
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Robert K. Willson

    Born 1917 in New York. Enlisted 1941 at Rochester; welder from Monroe County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1988, buried at Bath National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Loyd Meredith Willson

    Born 1940; from Dallas, Texas. U.S. Army, infantry unit commander; killed in action 1968 in Binh Duong, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Bessy Willson

    Arrived at New York in 1852 aboard the James Wright from Liverpool, aged 20; servant. From Ireland.

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

Showing 3 of 1,178 records for Willson 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. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · 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). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia378 records

378 records of the Willson name in Australia
  • Tasmanian Names Index 160
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 129
  • Other Australian records 89
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Harriett Adelaide Willson

    Died 1920 in Branxholm, Tasmania. Will registered in Tasmania in 1920.

    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 William Henry John Willson

    Born 1858 in Horton, Tasmania. Married 1882 in Launceston, Tasmania, aged 24.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. 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 Willson

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Guildford, arriving 1827; ticket of leave 1842.

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

Showing 3 of 378 records for Willson 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) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain).

Canada80 records

80 records of the Willson name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 35
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 13
  • Other Canadian records 32
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Jessie Willson

    Died 1975, aged 89; buried at Brookside 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 Mable Willson

    Died 1927 in Gold River, Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record David Gordon Willson

    Died in service in 1944.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 80 records for Willson in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · 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 Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · 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); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

United Kingdom40 records

40 records of the Willson name in the United Kingdom
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 22
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 16
  • Welsh wills index cards 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Joseph Willson

    Buried in 1817 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 53.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. 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 Elizabeth Willson

    Will proved in 1921; of Old Colwyn, Carnarvon.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record J. R. Willson

    Labour Corps. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

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

Showing 3 of 40 records for Willson in the United Kingdom.

Counts: MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). 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); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Netherlands34 records

34 records of the Willson name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 21
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 9
  • Dutch population registers 4
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Sophia Willson

    Married in 1841 in Nijmegen; cleaner, born 1803 in Alphen. Died 1854 in Nijmegen, aged 51.

    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 George Willson

    Married in 1735 in Rotterdam; soldier.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Birth record Elizabeth Willson

    Born 1823 in Vlissingen.

    Open Archives, Zeeuws Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 34 records for Willson 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).

New Zealand8 records

8 records of the Willson 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 William George Willson

    Died 1947, aged 75; 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 Ray Willson

    Died 1959, aged 38; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Annie Willson

    Died 1979, aged 82; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 8 records for Willson in New Zealand.

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 Willson 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 Maurice Charles Willson

    Born 1915 in Longueil-Sainte-Marie (Oise); died 1982 in Fréjus (Var).

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

    Born 1931 in Marpent (Nord); died 1994 in Reims (Marne).

    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 Willson.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Willson 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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