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

Willman, 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 Willman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Willman in America

Willman is the 7995th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Willman surname appeared 4,137 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 Willman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Willman 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 Willman

The surname WILLMAN is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "willa" meaning "will" or "desire," and "mann" meaning "man." It likely emerged as a descriptive surname in the 12th or 13th century, referring to someone with a strong will or determination.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire from 1182, which mention a William Willman. Another early reference is in the Feet of Fines for Oxfordshire from 1221, where a Robert Willman is listed.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various spellings, such as Willman, Wilman, and Wylman, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling at the time. Some of these early spellings were also influenced by the Norman French language introduced after the Norman Conquest in 1066.

The surname WILLMAN was particularly prevalent in the counties of Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire, and Warwickshire, though it gradually spread to other parts of England over the centuries.

One notable bearer of the name was Sir Willman, a 13th-century knight who fought in the Welsh Wars under King Edward I. His exact dates are uncertain, but records indicate he was active in the late 1200s.

In the 16th century, a John Willman (c. 1520-1590) from Gloucestershire was a prominent merchant and landowner. He acquired significant property and wealth through his successful business ventures.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, a Richard Willman (1615-1679) from Warwickshire served as a captain in the Parliamentarian forces under Oliver Cromwell. He played a role in several key battles during the conflict.

Another notable figure was Sir William Willman (1685-1743), a successful lawyer and judge from Oxfordshire. He served as a Justice of the King's Bench and was knighted for his contributions to the legal system.

In the 19th century, a Samuel Willman (1824-1901) from Northamptonshire gained recognition as a prolific inventor and engineer, particularly in the field of agricultural machinery and tools.

These are just a few examples of individuals bearing the surname WILLMAN throughout history, highlighting its long-standing presence in various regions of England and across different professions and backgrounds.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Willman

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

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

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

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