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

Wills, 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 Wills surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wills in America

Wills is the 1244th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wills surname appeared 28,219 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 10 people would have the surname Wills.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wills 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 Wills

The surname Wills originated in England during the Middle Ages. It is an occupational name, derived from the old English word 'wille', meaning a desire or wish. The name likely referred to someone who drafted or witnessed wills and other legal documents.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled 'Wille'. This suggests that the name was already well-established in parts of England by the late 11th century.

By the 13th century, the name had evolved to its more modern spelling of 'Wills'. In 1273, a Roger Wills is mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire. The Hundred Rolls were a census-like survey conducted in England during this period.

Over the following centuries, the Wills name spread across various counties in England, including Wiltshire, Somerset, and Gloucestershire. Some early bearers of the name were likely associated with religious institutions or the legal profession.

One notable figure bearing the Wills name was William Wills (c. 1370-1428), a Chancellor of the University of Oxford in the early 15th century. Another was Thomas Wills (1515-1573), a Church of England clergyman who served as the Bishop of Tenos and Mykonos.

In the 16th century, the Wills name appears in various place names across England, such as Willsborough in Wiltshire and Willsbridge in Gloucestershire. These place names likely derived from individuals bearing the Wills surname who resided in or owned land in those areas.

Moving into the 17th century, we find Samuel Wills (1590-1639), an English clergyman and author who published several religious works. A century later, there was William Wills (1700-1776), a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament for Worcestershire.

As the British Empire expanded, the Wills name spread to other parts of the world. One notable example is William John Wills (1834-1861), an English explorer who took part in the ill-fated Burke and Wills expedition across Australia.

Throughout its history, the Wills surname has been borne by numerous individuals from various walks of life, reflecting its origins as an occupational name associated with the legal profession and document drafting.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wills

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

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

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

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