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

Wille, 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 Wille surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wille in America

Wille is the 8780th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wille surname appeared 3,734 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Wille.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wille 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 Wille

The surname WILLE originated in Germany, arising in the Middle Ages around the 12th century. It is derived from the German word "will" meaning "desire" or "willpower". The name likely referred to someone who was strong-willed or determined in character.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various German records and documents from the 13th and 14th centuries. One notable example is a mention of a Wilhelm Wille in a manuscript from the city of Cologne, dated around 1275.

The name WILLE was also found in some variation of spelling, such as Wil, Wyl, or Wylle, in various regions of Germany during this time period. It is possible that the name was influenced by or connected to certain place names, such as the town of Wil in Switzerland, which shares a similar root.

As the name spread across Europe, it appeared in records in other countries as well. For instance, there is a reference to a John Wille in the English county of Norfolk in the 16th century.

Notable individuals throughout history with the surname WILLE include:

1. Johann Georg Wille (1715-1808), a German engraver and painter who was renowned for his work during the Rococo period.
2. Tobias Wille (1699-1767), a German mathematician and philosopher who made significant contributions to the field of calculus.
3. Elise Wille (1872-1939), a Norwegian writer and feminist who campaigned for women's rights and authored several novels.
4. Wilhelm Wille (1877-1937), a German painter and graphic artist known for his Expressionist works.
5. Friedrich Wille (1909-1993), a German politician and member of the Bundestag, the federal parliament of Germany.

The surname WILLE has endured over centuries and can be found among various communities and nations, reflecting its German origins and the migration patterns of those who bore this name throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wille

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

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

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

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