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

Willits, 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 Willits surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Willits in America

Willits is the 13741st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Willits surname appeared 2,202 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 Willits.

We can also compare 2010 data for Willits 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 Willits

The surname Willits originates from England, and its earliest known use can be traced back to the 13th century. The name is believed to have derived from the Old English words "wille," meaning willow tree, and "hyht," meaning a small hill or ridge. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a willow-covered hill or ridge.

One of the earliest known references to the Willits surname can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which mentions a John de Wylyhughtes. This early spelling variation highlights the name's evolution over time.

During the 14th century, the name was also documented in various records from the county of Gloucestershire, including the Assize Rolls from 1349, which mention a John Wylyhughtes. This indicates that the name was well-established in the region during that period.

In the 15th century, the Willits surname appeared in the Parish Registers of St. Michael's Church in Gloucester, with entries for individuals such as Thomas Willyghtes and Johanna Willyghtes, dated 1487 and 1498, respectively.

One notable figure with the Willits surname was Sir Thomas Willits (1560-1621), a renowned English lawyer and judge who served as the Chief Justice of the Common Pleas during the reign of King James I.

Another prominent individual was Robert Willits (1677-1744), a British architect and surveyor who was responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields.

In the late 18th century, the Willits surname was also found in Scotland, with records showing a John Willits (1759-1835) who was a prominent merchant and landowner in the city of Glasgow.

Moving into the 19th century, one notable figure was Benjamin Willits (1812-1893), an American businessman and philanthropist from Pennsylvania. He founded the Willits and Company manufacturing firm and was known for his charitable contributions to educational institutions.

In the field of literature, Anita Willits Burnham (1880-1958) was an American novelist and short story writer, best known for her works depicting rural life in New England.

Throughout its history, the Willits surname has been associated with various locations and place names, including Willits Hill in Gloucestershire, Willits Green in Hertfordshire, and the town of Willits in Mendocino County, California, which was likely named after an early settler with the surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Willits

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

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

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

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