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

Willbanks, 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 Willbanks surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Willbanks in America

Willbanks is the 19166th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Willbanks surname appeared 1,417 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 Willbanks.

We can also compare 2010 data for Willbanks 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 Willbanks

The surname Willbanks has its origins in England, and it can be traced back to the early medieval period. The name likely derives from topographical or locational features that were significant to the family's early history. The root elements of the name may come from Old English words; for example, "will" could be linked to "wille" or "wella," meaning spring or stream, and "banks" refers to the banks of a river. Thus, Willbanks would originally describe someone who lived near a spring or stream bank.

Historical references to the surname are sparse, but it is plausible that the name evolved from more common medieval names such as Willan or Wilbank, as records were less standardized in spelling during that time. The surname is not recorded in famous compilations such as the Domesday Book of 1086, likely due to its specific regional origin or the socio-economic status of its bearers.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Willbanks surname appears in parish records from the late 16th century. Edward Willbanks, born in 1587, is noted in the baptism records of a small parish in Yorkshire. These early records indicate the name’s presence in northern England.

In the 17th century, John Willbanks, born in 1623, is recorded as living in Sussex. As societies began to document births, marriages, and deaths more meticulously, the Willbanks surname started appearing in various legal and registry documents. These records show a gradual westward migration of the family name as people moved for economic opportunities or agricultural production.

The surname Willbanks also appears in American colonial history, most notably with William Willbanks, born in 1692, who emigrated to the American colonies in the early 1700s. Settling in the Virginia Colony, William's descendants contributed to the spread of the surname across the United States over the centuries.

Another notable individual with the surname is Sarah Willbanks, born in 1789, who was one of the early settlers in the Ohio Territory. Her family played a significant role in the westward expansion and the development of early American communities.

In the early 19th century, Robert Willbanks, born in 1815, gained recognition as a prominent community leader in the mid-western states of the United States. His efforts in local governance and infrastructure development were well documented in town records.

Finally, Elizabeth Willbanks, born in 1863, became a well-regarded teacher and advocate for women's education during the late 19th century. Her contributions were chronicled in local histories and educational records, underscoring the surname’s association with public service and community development.

Throughout history, the Willbanks surname has demonstrated a gradual geographical spread, from its likely origins in rural England to its established presence in the United States. This migration and settlement pattern highlight the evolution of the surname from its medieval roots to its broader historical significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Willbanks

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

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 Willbanks 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 Willbanks 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 Willbanks was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!