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Willem Family History

Willem Surname Meaning

Dutch and Flemish: from the ancient Germanic personal name Willahalm composed of the elements wil ‘will desire’ + helm ‘helmet protection’.

German (mainly Rhineland-Palatinate): variant of Wilhelm a cognate of 1 above.

Walloon and French (mainly Nord Alsace and Lorraine): variant of Guillaume a cognate of 1 above.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Willem family from?

You can see how Willem families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Willem family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1871 and 1920. The most Willem families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 8 Willem families living in Lancashire. This was about 38% of all the recorded Willem's in United Kingdom. Lancashire and 1 other county had the highest population of Willem families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Willem surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Willem ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Trained Nurse were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Willem. 34% of Willem men worked as a Farmer and 100% of Willem women worked as a Trained Nurse.

View Census Data for Willem | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    34%
  • Laborer
    28%
  • Baker
    17%
  • Salesman
    12%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Trained Nurse
    100%

What Willem family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Willem. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Willem census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Willem

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Willem. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Willem immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 365 military records available for the last name Willem. For the veterans among your Willem ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Willem military records

You've only scratched the surface of Willem family history

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What is the average Willem lifespan?

Between 1954 and 2004, in the United States, Willem life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1954, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Willem in 1954 was 45, and 96 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Willem

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Willem ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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