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Willer Family History

Willer Surname Meaning

German and Dutch: from a personal name composed of the ancient Germanic elements wil ‘will desire’ + heri ‘army’. English: variant of Weller.

English: perhaps in some cases an occupational name from a shortened form of Willyer now extinct but derived from Middle English wilier ‘one who works in willow’.

A derivative of Middle English wily (Old English wilige) ‘willow’ + -er ‘worker in willow’.

Probably a maker of baskets or hurdles.

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


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Where is the Willer family from?

You can see how Willer families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Willer family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Willer families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 268 Willer families living in London. This was about 27% of all the recorded Willer's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Willer families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Willer 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 Willer ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Willer. 48% of Willer men worked as a General Labourer and 75% of Willer women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Willer were Order Clerk Office Equipment My and Cook.

View Census Data for Willer | 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.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    48%
  • Postman
    11%
  • Painter
    11%
  • Order Clerk Office Equipment My
    11%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    75%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    5%
  • Housemaid
    4%
  • Cook
    3%

What Willer family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 51,000 census records available for the last name Willer. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Willer census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Willer

Passenger Lists

There are 6,000 immigration records available for the last name Willer. 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 Willer immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 6,000 military records available for the last name Willer. For the veterans among your Willer ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Willer military records

You've only scratched the surface of Willer family history

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What is the average Willer lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Willer life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1950, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Willer in 1943 was 50, and 82 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Willer

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Willer 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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