Find out how popular the last name Villiger is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Villiger.

Villiger, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Villiger surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Villiger in America

Villiger is the 122314th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Villiger surname appeared 141 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Villiger.

We can also compare 2010 data for Villiger to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Villiger

The surname Villiger is believed to have originated in Switzerland, where it first appeared in records dating back to the 13th century. The name is derived from the Old French word "vilain," which means "villager" or "peasant." This suggests that the name was likely given to someone who lived in a village or worked as a farmer.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Villiger can be found in the Swiss municipality of Aarau, where a family by the name of Villiger is mentioned in a document from 1289. In the same region, there is a village called Villigen, which may have been the place of origin for some Villiger families.

During the Middle Ages, the Villiger name appeared in various forms, such as Villigier, Villigher, and Villicher, reflecting the variation in spelling and pronunciation of the time. The name was also found in other parts of Switzerland, including the cantons of Bern and Lucerne.

One notable Villiger was Johann Villiger (1758-1834), a Swiss politician and military leader who served as the President of the Helvetic Republic from 1801 to 1802. Another prominent figure was Eduard Villiger (1868-1954), a Swiss writer and journalist who wrote several books on Swiss history and culture.

In the 19th century, the Villiger name gained recognition in the tobacco industry. The Villiger Söhne AG company, founded in 1888 by Max Villiger in Lucerne, became one of the leading producers of premium cigars and cigarillos in Switzerland. The company is still family-owned and operated today.

Another notable Villiger was Hans Villiger (1925-2015), a Swiss businessman and diplomat who served as the President of Switzerland in 1995 and 1996. He was also the CEO of the Villiger Söhne AG company from 1957 to 1989.

While the Villiger surname is most commonly associated with Switzerland, it has also been found in other parts of Europe, including Germany, Austria, and France. Regardless of its geographic distribution, the name has maintained its connection to its Swiss roots and the villages from which it originated.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Villiger

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Villiger.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Villiger was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Villiger has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Villiger was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Villiger, please contact us.

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