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

Willison, 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 Willison surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Willison in America

Willison is the 10075th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Willison surname appeared 3,199 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 Willison.

We can also compare 2010 data for Willison 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 Willison

The surname Willison originates from Scotland and England, where it emerged in the medieval period. It is derived from the ancient personal name William, which itself comes from the Germanic elements "wil," meaning will or desire, and "helm," meaning protection or helmet. The earliest recorded spelling of the surname was Willieson in Scotland in the year 1296.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was John Willison, a Scottish Presbyterian minister who lived from 1680 to 1750. He is best known for his influential book "The Afflicted Man's Companion," published in 1742, which provided spiritual guidance for those suffering from illness or affliction.

Another notable Willison was Samuel Willison, a Scottish merchant and ship owner who lived from 1753 to 1828. He was involved in the early trade between Scotland and the West Indies, and his success in business allowed him to purchase the estate of Willison House in Fife, Scotland.

In England, the surname Willison can be traced back to the 14th century, with records showing a John Willison in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1379. The name was particularly concentrated in the northern counties of England, such as Yorkshire and Northumberland, where it may have originated as a variant of the more common surname Wilson.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name in England was Sir Thomas Willison, a prominent lawyer and judge who lived from 1555 to 1619. He served as Chief Justice of the Common Pleas and was knighted by King James I in 1603.

Another notable Willison was Robert Willison, an English botanist and horticulturist who lived from 1696 to 1761. He is best known for his work on the botany of the West Indies, where he traveled extensively and collected many plant specimens.

While the surname Willison is not as common as some other surnames, it has a rich history that spans several centuries and multiple countries. Its origins can be traced back to the medieval period and the ancient personal name William, which has been a popular name throughout much of European history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Willison

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

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

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

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