NameCensus.

UK surname

Willems

Derived from the Germanic personal name Wilhelm, composed of the elements wil, meaning "will" or "desire," and helm, meaning "helmet" or "protection."

In the 1881 census there were 13 people recorded with the Willems surname, ranking it #31,761 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 159, ranked #22,798, up from #31,761 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Malvern Hills and Derby.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Willems is 159 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1123.1%.

1881 census count

13

Ranked #31,761

Modern count

159

2016, ranked #22,798

Peak year

2016

159 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Willems had 13 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,761 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 159 in 2016, ranked #22,798.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 23 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Willems surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Willems surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Willems 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 1 #33,412
1861 historical 4 #33,628
1881 historical 13 #31,761
1891 historical 8 #33,550
1901 historical 10 #33,026
1911 historical 23 #30,923
1997 modern 112 #25,244
1998 modern 117 #25,190
1999 modern 119 #25,095
2000 modern 120 #24,950
2001 modern 113 #25,489
2002 modern 120 #25,110
2003 modern 120 #24,909
2004 modern 117 #25,448
2005 modern 128 #24,076
2006 modern 136 #23,378
2007 modern 137 #23,590
2008 modern 144 #23,037
2009 modern 141 #23,907
2010 modern 146 #23,921
2011 modern 143 #24,056
2012 modern 144 #23,902
2013 modern 152 #23,438
2014 modern 152 #23,631
2015 modern 155 #23,194
2016 modern 159 #22,798

Geography

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Where Willems' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Malvern Hills and Derby. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Malvern Hills 007 Malvern Hills
2 Malvern Hills 009 Malvern Hills
3 Malvern Hills 006 Malvern Hills
4 Malvern Hills 004 Malvern Hills
5 Derby 018 Derby

Forenames

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First names often paired with Willems

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Willems

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Willems, 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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Willems surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Willems household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Willems is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Willems is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Willems falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Willems is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Willems

The surname Willems is of Dutch origin, tracing its roots back to the Netherlands during the Middle Ages. It is a patronymic name, derived from the given name Willem, which is the Dutch variation of the Germanic name William, meaning "resolute protector."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the 14th century Buurkrijgsrollen van Gelderland, a medieval record of military service in the Duchy of Guelders. This document mentions several individuals bearing the surname Willems, suggesting that the name was already well-established in the region at that time.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, the Willems name proliferated across the Netherlands, particularly in the provinces of North Brabant, Limburg, and Gelderland. It is believed that the name may have originated in these areas, as many early records document Willems families residing in towns and villages such as Eindhoven, Venlo, and Nijmegen.

One notable figure from this period was Rogier Willems (c. 1450-1523), a Dutch painter and stained glass artist renowned for his work in the Antwerp Cathedral and the Basilica of St. Servatius in Maastricht.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Willems surname spread further across the Netherlands and into neighboring regions. During this time, several prominent individuals bore the name, including Jan Willems (1670-1725), a Dutch Golden Age painter known for his landscapes and genre scenes, and Jacob Willems (1734-1813), a Flemish historian and linguist who made significant contributions to the study of Dutch literature and language.

Another notable figure was Christiaan Willems (1789-1848), a Dutch naval officer and explorer who served as the Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies from 1840 to 1848. His tenure was marked by significant reforms and efforts to improve the welfare of the local population.

As the Dutch established colonies and trading outposts around the world, the Willems surname also found its way to various parts of the globe. In the 19th century, Emile Willems (1823-1891), a Belgian jurist and politician, played a crucial role in the drafting of the Belgian Civil Code and served as the Minister of Justice.

Throughout its history, the Willems surname has maintained a strong presence in the Netherlands and Belgium, with numerous individuals bearing the name making notable contributions in various fields, including art, literature, politics, and exploration.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Willems families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Willems 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. Middlesex leads with 12 Willems' recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.46x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 12 9.46x
Fife 1 13.32x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Westminster St James in Middlesex leads with 9 Willems' recorded in 1881 and an index of 692.31x.

Place Total Index
Westminster St James 9 692.31x
Paddington London 2 42.92x
Dalgety 1 1666.67x
Heston 1 238.10x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Agnes 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Christiena 1
Elizabeth 1
Emma 1
Louise 1
Wilhelmina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Albert 1
Johannes 1
John 1
William 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Willems households.

FAQ

Willems surname: questions and answers

How common was the Willems surname in 1881?

In 1881, 13 people were recorded with the Willems surname. That placed it at #31,761 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Willems surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 159 in 2016. That gives Willems a modern rank of #22,798.

What does the Willems surname mean?

Derived from the Germanic personal name Wilhelm, composed of the elements wil, meaning "will" or "desire," and helm, meaning "helmet" or "protection."

What does the Willems map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Willems 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.