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Willets Family History

Willets Surname Meaning

English (Staffordshire Worcestershire Warwickshire and Shropshire): variant of Willetts.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Willets family from?

You can see how Willets families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Willets family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Willets families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 51 Willets families living in Staffordshire. This was about 19% of all the recorded Willets's in United Kingdom. Staffordshire had the highest population of Willets families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Willets 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 Willets ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Bricklayer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Willets. 34% of Willets men worked as a Bricklayer and 89% of Willets women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Willets were Armature Winder and Domestic Servant.

View Census Data for Willets | 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

  • Bricklayer
    34%
  • Farmer
    25%
  • Dairy Farmer
    25%
  • Armature Winder
    17%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    89%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Home Duties
    3%
  • Domestic Servant
    3%

What Willets family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 12,000 census records available for the last name Willets. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Willets census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Willets

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Willets. 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 Willets immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Willets. For the veterans among your Willets ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Willets military records

You've only scratched the surface of Willets family history

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What is the average Willets lifespan?

Between 1960 and 2004, in the United States, Willets life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1960, and highest in 1986. The average life expectancy for Willets in 1960 was 54, and 57 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Willets

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Willets 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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