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

Willig, 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 Willig surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Willig in America

Willig is the 26695th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Willig surname appeared 912 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 Willig.

We can also compare 2010 data for Willig 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 Willig

The surname Willig has its origins in Germany, emerging during the medieval period, around the 13th to 14th centuries. The name is derived from older Germanic words, with "Willig" indicating attributes such as willing or desirous, possibly pointing to a person's nature or a characteristic occupation. It is thought to originate from the Middle High German word "willig," meaning willing or eager, suggesting a trait or perhaps a nickname for someone eager or ready.

Early records of the surname Willig can be found in various regions of German-speaking territories, particularly within cities in Bavaria and the Rhineland. One of the earliest mentions appears in tax records and local registers from the 14th century, where it was noted in areas under the control of the Holy Roman Empire. For example, a document from 1378 records a Johannes Willig in Saxony, indicating the surname was well-established by that time.

A significant historical record mentions a Wilhelm Willig in a community book from Mainz in 1462, indicating that individuals bearing the surname had civic responsibilities and were integrated into the fabric of their local communities. The presence of the name in different dialectical regions indicates a wide distribution, confirming the surname's rootedness in German-speaking lands.

In the 16th century, Conrad Willig, born in 1502 and known to have passed around 1573, served as a notable artisan in Nuremberg, contributing extensively to the guilds and becoming renowned for his craftsmanship in metalwork. He is among the earliest recorded artisans with the surname, pointing to the surname's association with skilled trades.

Another notable historical figure bearing the surname was Michael Willig, born in 1623 in Augsburg and died in 1690, who gained recognition as a scholar and wrote numerous theological treatises during his lifetime. His works contributed to the intellectual fervor of the time and have been preserved in regional archives.

The Willig surname also appears in 18th-century historical accounts, where Maria Elisabeth Willig, born in 1738 and died in 1806, is recorded in parish registers in the town of Bamberg. Her recorded marriage and subsequent family entries show the surname's prevalence in civil documents and community records during this period.

During the 19th century, with the widespread emigration from Europe, individuals bearing the surname Willig also appear in various immigration records, particularly those arriving in the United States and other parts of the Americas. Johannes Willig, born in 1812 in Hesse, is documented as having emigrated to New York in 1847. He and his descendants contributed to the growing American communities.

Throughout history, the surname Willig has been tied to numerous occupational roles, regional clusters, and has seen different spellings in varying records, reflecting both phonetic transcription and the evolution of the German language. It stands as a testament to an enduring family name with deep roots in European history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Willig

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

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

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

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