NameCensus.

UK surname

Willard

Derived from a Germanic personal name composed of the elements "wil," meaning desire, and "heard," meaning hardy or brave.

In the 1881 census there were 782 people recorded with the Willard surname, ranking it #4,745 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,065, ranked #5,486, down from #4,745 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew, Tunbridge, Bidborough and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rother and Hastings.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Willard is 1,122 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 36.2%.

1881 census count

782

Ranked #4,745

Modern count

1,065

2016, ranked #5,486

Peak year

1911

1,122 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Willard had 782 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,745 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,065 in 2016, ranked #5,486.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,122 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Willard surname distribution map

The map shows where the Willard surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Willard surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Willard over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 587 #4,357
1861 historical 732 #3,724
1881 historical 782 #4,745
1891 historical 866 #4,738
1901 historical 999 #4,766
1911 historical 1,122 #4,143
1997 modern 1,066 #5,212
1998 modern 1,100 #5,266
1999 modern 1,102 #5,278
2000 modern 1,091 #5,302
2001 modern 1,075 #5,267
2002 modern 1,095 #5,290
2003 modern 1,059 #5,346
2004 modern 1,077 #5,282
2005 modern 1,037 #5,383
2006 modern 1,015 #5,492
2007 modern 1,011 #5,554
2008 modern 1,029 #5,521
2009 modern 1,079 #5,410
2010 modern 1,103 #5,420
2011 modern 1,075 #5,477
2012 modern 1,077 #5,383
2013 modern 1,073 #5,494
2014 modern 1,082 #5,487
2015 modern 1,069 #5,480
2016 modern 1,065 #5,486

Geography

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Where Willards are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew, Tunbridge, Bidborough, London parishes, Salehurst and Hawkhurst, Etchingham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rother and Hastings. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew Sussex
2 Tunbridge, Bidborough Kent
3 London parishes London 3
4 Salehurst Sussex
5 Hawkhurst, Etchingham Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rother 007 Rother
2 Rother 008 Rother
3 Rother 009 Rother
4 Rother 001 Rother
5 Hastings 010 Hastings

Forenames

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First names often paired with Willard

These lists show first names that appear often with the Willard surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Willard

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Willard, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Willard surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Willard household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Willard is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Willard is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Willard falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Willard is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Willard, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Willard

The surname Willard originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English personal name "Wilard," which itself comes from the elements "wil" meaning "will" or "desire," and "ard" meaning "hardy" or "brave." The name was likely given to a child who was particularly determined or strong-willed.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Willard surname appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of land ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name is listed as "Wilard" in the county of Essex.

During the Middle Ages, the Willard surname was primarily concentrated in the counties of Essex, Suffolk, and Norfolk in East Anglia. Some early variations of the spelling included Wilard, Wilarde, Wyllard, and Wyllarde.

In the 13th century, a Willard family held lands in the village of Ringwood in Hampshire. This is likely the origin of the place name "Willard's Ash," which appears in records from that time.

One notable bearer of the Willard surname was Simon Willard (c. 1605-1676), an English settler who arrived in Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1634. He became a prominent citizen and landowner in the colony and served as a captain in the militia.

Another famous Willard was Samuel Willard (1640-1707), a Puritan minister and author who served as the president of Harvard College from 1701 until his death.

In the 18th century, Joseph Willard (1738-1804) was a respected clergyman and educator. He served as the president of Harvard College from 1781 to 1804.

Frances Elizabeth Willard (1839-1898) was a prominent educator and social reformer who led the Woman's Christian Temperance Union and played a pivotal role in the women's suffrage movement.

Daniel Willard (1861-1942) was a notable railroad executive who served as the president of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad from 1910 to 1941, overseeing the company's growth and modernization.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Willard families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Willard surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Sussex leads with 292 Willards recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.85x.

County Total Index
Sussex 292 22.85x
Kent 142 5.49x
Middlesex 134 1.77x
Surrey 108 2.92x
Warwickshire 32 1.67x
Essex 15 1.00x
Lancashire 12 0.13x
Hampshire 7 0.45x
Somerset 7 0.57x
Staffordshire 6 0.23x
Durham 5 0.22x
Leicestershire 4 0.48x
Hertfordshire 3 0.57x
Northamptonshire 2 0.28x
Northumberland 2 0.18x
Berkshire 1 0.18x
Derbyshire 1 0.08x
Dorset 1 0.20x
Lanarkshire 1 0.04x
Lincolnshire 1 0.08x
Yorkshire 1 0.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Salehurst in Sussex leads with 43 Willards recorded in 1881 and an index of 777.58x.

Place Total Index
Salehurst 43 777.58x
Brighton 34 13.19x
Tonbridge 30 32.16x
Islington London 27 3.68x
Hastings St Clement 23 191.19x
Hove 21 37.45x
Sandhurst 21 690.79x
Eastbourne 17 28.91x
Hawkhurst 15 186.57x
Aston 14 2.66x
Bermondsey 12 5.32x
Hastings St Mary 12 37.74x
Lambeth 12 1.82x
Willesden 12 16.80x
Birmingham 9 1.41x
St Luke London 9 7.40x
Uckfield 9 161.58x
Battersea 8 2.87x
Carshalton 8 56.62x
Dorking 8 32.26x
Guestling 8 384.62x
Maresfield 8 148.42x
Milton In Gravesend 8 20.63x
Newington 8 2.86x
Shoreditch London 8 2.43x
Shorne 8 349.35x
Bootle Cum Linacre 7 9.80x
Bromley 7 17.76x
Fulham London 7 6.37x
Glynde 7 945.95x
Great Bookham 7 246.48x
Hastings All Sts 7 58.14x
Kingston On Thames 7 7.89x
Lewes St Michael 7 275.59x
Pulborough 7 149.25x
St Martin In Fields 7 15.43x
Tangmere 7 1458.33x
Woodford 7 41.32x
Battle 6 69.61x
Bethnal Green London 6 1.82x
Croydon 6 2.93x
Hastings St Leonards 6 31.95x
Kensington London 6 1.42x
North Mundham 6 472.44x
Camberwell 5 1.03x
Deptford St Paul 5 2.51x
Eynsford 5 112.87x
Grays Thurrock 5 35.95x
Leominster 5 121.36x
Nuthurst 5 236.97x
Rugby 5 19.33x
Rye 5 41.19x
St Pancras London 5 0.82x
Stockton On Tees 5 4.60x
Wednesbury 5 7.82x
Witley 5 192.31x
Boxgrove 4 216.22x
Capel 4 114.94x
Hastings Holy Trinity 4 42.46x
Hastings St Mary In The 4 14.67x
Manchester 4 0.99x
Mereworth 4 192.31x
Mile End Old Town 4 3.34x
Paddington London 4 1.44x
Portsea 4 1.31x
Rotherhithe 4 4.27x
Southwark St Saviour 4 10.27x
St George Martyr 4 31.30x
Subdeanery 4 41.24x
Westminster St John 4 4.33x
Ashford 3 11.91x
Enfield 3 6.03x
Hammersmith London 3 1.61x
Hampstead London 3 2.54x
Hollington 3 65.93x
Hugglescote 3 24.27x
Poplar London 3 2.10x
St Peters 3 25.08x
Staplehurst 3 70.59x
Stoke 3 17.21x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Willard surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Willard surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 42
Henry 26
George 25
John 25
James 20
Thomas 20
Charles 19
Edward 17
Walter 15
Frederick 12
Harry 10
Richard 10
Robert 9
Albert 8
Arthur 7
Horace 7
Alfred 6
Frank 6
Jesse 6
Stephen 6
Joseph 5
Chas. 4
Ernest 4
Fredk. 4
Clement 3
Francis 3
Aubrey 2
Benjamin 2
Fred 2
Richd. 2
Spencer 2
Batchelor 1
Benn. 1
Bert. 1
Bertram 1
Claude 1
David 1
Eamon 1
Edmund 1
Ethelbert 1
Felix 1
Filmer 1
Frances 1
Godfry 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
Ivo 1
Jas. 1
Jonas 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Willard surname: questions and answers

How common was the Willard surname in 1881?

In 1881, 782 people were recorded with the Willard surname. That placed it at #4,745 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Willard surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,065 in 2016. That gives Willard a modern rank of #5,486.

What does the Willard surname mean?

Derived from a Germanic personal name composed of the elements "wil," meaning desire, and "heard," meaning hardy or brave.

What does the Willard map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Willard bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.