2000
#7,550
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,062
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.51
Rare Last name
Willman
A surname of German origin, derived from the Middle High German word "willehalm," meaning "determined protector."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,517 Americans carry the last name Willman. That puts it at #8,064 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.32 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 75,881 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Willman surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Willman with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
4.5K
1 in 75,881
Census rank
#8,064
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,939 bearers of the surname Willman in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.32 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8064th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Willman, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.1%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Willman
Among Census respondents with the surname Willman, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.1%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Willman bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Willman surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.5% · 3,642
- Hispanic or Latino3.1% · 124
- Two or more races2.8% · 111
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 24
- Black or African American0.5% · 21
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 17
Timeline
Historical Census data for Willman
Willman appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#7,995
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,137
+75 bearers (+1.8%)
Per 100,000 1.40
Rank movement Down 445 places
2020
#8,064
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,939
-198 bearers (-4.8%)
Per 100,000 1.32
Rank movement Down 69 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #7,550 | 4,062 | 1.51 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,995 | 4,137 | 1.40 | +75 bearers (+1.8%) | Down 445 places |
| 2020 | #8,064 | 3,939 | 1.32 | -198 bearers (-4.8%) | Down 69 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Willman surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #7,995 | #8,064 | -0.9% |
| Count | 4,137 | 3,939 | -4.8% |
| Per 100K | 1.40 | 1.32 | -5.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Willman bearers went from 4,137 to 3,939 (-4.8% change). The surname moved down 69 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,995 to #8,064.
FAQ
Willman surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Willman?
Name Census estimates that about 4,517 living Americans carry the surname Willman. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 75,881 residents.
How common is Willman?
Willman ranks #8,064 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.32 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,939 people with the surname Willman. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,517), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.32 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.32 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Willman.
Has Willman become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Willman went from 4,137 recorded bearers to 3,939. That is a decrease of 198 (-4.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #7,995 to #8,064.
What does the Census say about the background of Willman?
Among Census respondents with the surname Willman, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.1%) and Two or More Races (2.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Willman in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.5% (3,642 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Willman appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.5%), Hispanic (3.1%), Two or More Races (2.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Willman (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Willman mean?
A surname of German origin, derived from the Middle High German word "willehalm," meaning "determined protector." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Willman (1.32 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Willman?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.