Williquette last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Williquette

A matronymic surname derived from a feminine given name.

Williquette, 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 Williquette surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Williquette in America

Williquette is the 54418th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Williquette surname appeared 379 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 Williquette.

We can also compare 2010 data for Williquette 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.

20102000Change (%)
Rank54418514585.59%
Count379380-0.26%
Proportion per 100k0.130.14-7.41%

The history of the last name Williquette

The surname Williquette has its origins in France, specifically from the region of Wallonia which is now part of Belgium. The name likely emerged around the late medieval period, particularly in the 14th or 15th century. It is derived from a Flemish or Walloon diminutive form of the personal name Guillaume, which is the French equivalent of William, combined with a diminutive suffix. In the Walloon dialects spoken in southern Belgium, "-quette" is a diminutive suffix akin to the nicknaming traditions common in the Middle Ages, often used to denote "little" or "son of."

The first recorded instance of the surname in historical documents appears in the early 16th century. A notable mention occurs in a 1513 ecclesiastical record from the Diocese of Liège, where a Pierre Williquette is listed as a witness in a land dispute. This instance indicates that the Williquette family had established some local prominence and were likely landowners or held positions of influence in their community.

The name also appears in the Annals of Hainaut wherein a Guillame Williquette is referenced in 1587 as a merchant who traded goods between present-day Belgium and France. This reference highlights the economic activities and social mobility of individuals bearing the surname during this period.

Another significant historical bearer of the name was Jean Williquette (1610-1675), a notable figure in the town of Namur. Records from the 1630s show Jean held a municipal position, and his contributions to local governance are cited in the town's archives. His family was involved in civic duties and maintained a reputable rank within the community.

The Williquette surname also appears in military records during the 18th century. François Williquette (1742-1809) served as an officer in the Austrian Netherlands' regiment. His military career, documented in various regimental archives, indicates the involvement of people with this surname in broader historical events such as the War of the Austrian Succession.

Artistic contributions from individuals with the surname have also been noted. For instance, Marie-Thérèse Williquette (1787-1842) was a renowned painter in Brussels. Her works, primarily portraits, were celebrated in local art circles and some are preserved in Belgian art collections today.

The surname Williquette, thus, not only offers insights into medieval naming conventions in Wallonia but also reflects the socioeconomic and cultural landscapes of its time, through various individuals who left their mark in fields ranging from commerce and military service to the arts.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Williquette

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

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 Williquette was:

Race/EthnicityPercentageTotal Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only95.25%361
Non-Hispanic Black Only(S)%(S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only0.00%0
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native1.58%6
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races(S)%(S)
Hispanic Origin2.11%8

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 Williquette has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

20102000Change (%)
White95.25%97.63%-2.47%
Black(S)%(S)%(S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander0.00%0.00%0.00%
American Indian and Alaskan Native1.58%1.32%17.93%
Two or More Races(S)%0.00%(S)%
Hispanic2.11%(S)%(S)%

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

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

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