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Willows Family History

Willows Surname Meaning

English (Lincolnshire): from the plural form of Middle English wilwe wilghe wil(l)owe ‘willow’ (Old English wilig welig) for a person who lived in an area where willow trees grew or from a place so named.

In some cases this may be a variant of Willow with post-medieval excrescent -s.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Willows family from?

You can see how Willows families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Willows family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1851 and 1920. The most Willows families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 254 Willows families living in Lincolnshire. This was about 40% of all the recorded Willows's in United Kingdom. Lincolnshire had the highest population of Willows families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Willows 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 Willows ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Farmer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Willows. 15% of Willows men worked as a Farmer and 76% of Willows women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Willows were Builders Labourer and Domestic Help.

View Census Data for Willows | 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

  • Farmer
    15%
  • Farm Labourer
    13%
  • General Labourer
    11%
  • Builders Labourer
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    76%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Unpaid Household Duties
    3%
  • Domestic Help
    2%

What Willows family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 14,000 census records available for the last name Willows. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Willows census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Willows

Passenger Lists

There are 875 immigration records available for the last name Willows. 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 Willows immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 798 military records available for the last name Willows. For the veterans among your Willows ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Willows military records

You've only scratched the surface of Willows family history

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What is the average Willows lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2003, in the United States, Willows life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1971, and highest in 1992. The average life expectancy for Willows in 1963 was 79, and 81 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Willows

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Willows 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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