NameCensus.

UK surname

Willett

Derived from a place name meaning "well head" or "stream" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 2,352 people recorded with the Willett surname, ranking it #1,890 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,330, ranked #2,041, down from #1,890 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew and Shenley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Kesteven, Hinckley and Bosworth and East Cambridgeshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Willett is 3,553 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 41.6%.

1881 census count

2,352

Ranked #1,890

Modern count

3,330

2016, ranked #2,041

Peak year

1999

3,553 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Willett had 2,352 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,890 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,330 in 2016, ranked #2,041.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,465 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Willett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Willett surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Willett 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 1,275 #2,241
1861 historical 1,276 #2,236
1881 historical 2,352 #1,890
1891 historical 2,686 #1,772
1901 historical 3,143 #1,784
1911 historical 3,465 #1,510
1997 modern 3,273 #1,968
1998 modern 3,526 #1,909
1999 modern 3,553 #1,914
2000 modern 3,530 #1,922
2001 modern 3,412 #1,936
2002 modern 3,498 #1,939
2003 modern 3,384 #1,960
2004 modern 3,346 #1,981
2005 modern 3,268 #1,992
2006 modern 3,259 #2,010
2007 modern 3,231 #2,042
2008 modern 3,264 #2,043
2009 modern 3,329 #2,052
2010 modern 3,422 #2,039
2011 modern 3,378 #2,037
2012 modern 3,324 #2,029
2013 modern 3,401 #2,017
2014 modern 3,397 #2,037
2015 modern 3,377 #2,027
2016 modern 3,330 #2,041

Geography

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Where Willetts are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to South Kesteven, Hinckley and Bosworth, East Cambridgeshire and Wealden. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew Sussex
3 London parishes London 3
4 Shenley Buckinghamshire
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Kesteven 006 South Kesteven
2 Hinckley and Bosworth 005 Hinckley and Bosworth
3 East Cambridgeshire 006 East Cambridgeshire
4 Wealden 005 Wealden
5 Hinckley and Bosworth 001 Hinckley and Bosworth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Willett

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Willett

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Willett is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Willett is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Willett falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Willett 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 Willett, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Willett

The surname Willett originated in England and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English given name Wigelm, which is a compound of the elements "wig" meaning war or battle, and "helm" meaning helmet or protection. This name was later shortened to William and the diminutive form Will, from which Willett is derived as a patronymic surname.

The earliest recorded spelling of the surname Willett is found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, where it appears as Wylet. Other early spellings include Wyllet, Wyllytt, and Wylliet. The name is also found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is recorded as Wigelm.

In the 14th century, the surname Willett can be found in various records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk in 1327, where one John Wyllet is mentioned. Another early record is the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1381, which lists a Richard Wyllet.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname Willett was Sir Thomas Willett (c. 1545-1598), an English politician and landowner from Yorkshire. He served as a Member of Parliament and was a member of the Privy Council under Queen Elizabeth I.

Another notable figure with the surname Willett was Captain Thomas Willett (1605-1674), an English colonist in Plymouth Colony. He served as the Captain of the Military Company in Plymouth and was involved in the negotiations with the Native Americans, including the Wampanoag leader Massasoit.

In the 17th century, the Willett family was prominent in the area of Maidstone, Kent. One member, John Willett (1614-1693), was a Puritan clergyman and author who wrote several religious works.

A place name associated with the surname Willett is Willett's Farm, a hamlet in Gloucestershire, which derives its name from a family that once owned land in the area.

Other notable individuals with the surname Willett include Andrew Willett (1562-1621), an English clergyman and theologian, and Henry Willett (1823-1905), an English furniture maker and designer who helped establish the Arts and Crafts movement in Britain.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Willett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Willett 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 296 Willetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.29x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 296 1.29x
Surrey 244 2.18x
Sussex 236 6.08x
Staffordshire 162 2.09x
Essex 160 3.52x
Cheshire 152 2.99x
Leicestershire 152 5.96x
Kent 133 1.69x
Lancashire 128 0.47x
Buckinghamshire 84 6.04x
Oxfordshire 73 5.14x
Norfolk 63 1.78x
Derbyshire 58 1.61x
Gloucestershire 58 1.29x
Yorkshire 55 0.24x
Northamptonshire 47 2.17x
Nottinghamshire 36 1.16x
Warwickshire 36 0.62x
Suffolk 24 0.86x
Somerset 20 0.54x
Worcestershire 19 0.63x
Hampshire 17 0.36x
Herefordshire 15 1.59x
Channel Islands 11 1.61x
Monmouthshire 10 0.60x
Hertfordshire 9 0.57x
Berkshire 7 0.41x
Cambridgeshire 7 0.48x
Montgomeryshire 7 1.33x
Dorset 6 0.40x
Devon 5 0.10x
Huntingdonshire 5 1.09x
Durham 4 0.06x
Wiltshire 4 0.20x
Caernarfonshire 3 0.32x
Stirlingshire 3 0.35x
Aberdeenshire 2 0.09x
Glamorgan 2 0.05x
Northumberland 2 0.06x
Shropshire 2 0.10x
Lincolnshire 1 0.03x
Royal Navy 1 0.36x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 49 Willetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.44x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 49 2.44x
Shenley Brook End 49 2832.37x
Brighton 47 6.00x
St Pancras London 33 1.78x
Anstey 31 307.54x
Bermondsey 31 4.53x
Burslem 31 13.93x
Leicester St Margaret 31 4.98x
Nantwich 30 50.83x
Bethnal Green London 28 2.80x
Maidstone 28 11.97x
Markfield 27 213.44x
Monks Coppenhall 26 13.56x
Methwold 24 209.61x
St Marylebone London 24 1.95x
Newington 23 2.71x
Ore 23 79.64x
Chelmsford 22 28.23x
Hackney London 21 1.63x
Islington London 20 0.90x
Reigate Foreign 20 16.47x
Camberwell 19 1.29x
Aston 18 1.13x
Hastings All Sts 18 49.23x
New Shoreham 18 77.42x
Tranmere 17 9.11x
Hampstead London 16 4.46x
Hastings St Clement 16 43.82x
Kensington London 16 1.25x
West Bromwich 16 3.60x
Cuckfield 15 38.28x
Duns Tew 15 619.83x
Kimberworth 15 11.85x
Margate St John Baptist 15 10.43x
Sible Hedingham 15 98.81x
St George Hanover 15 4.99x
Warrington 15 4.63x
Feltwell Feltwell Anchor 14 217.39x
Great Budworth 14 155.56x
Stoke Upon Trent 14 1.70x
West Ham 14 1.40x
Castle Church 13 27.84x
Hove 13 7.64x
Bristol St George 12 5.75x
Horsham 12 15.92x
Saffron Walden 12 25.01x
Windle 12 7.81x
Battersea 11 1.30x
Cheltenham 11 3.16x
Derby All Sts 11 36.56x
Dudley 11 3.01x
Greenstead 11 166.16x
Hammersmith London 11 1.94x
Hucknall Torkard 11 13.99x
Loughborough 11 9.50x
Manchester 11 0.90x
Steeple Bumpstead 11 132.21x
Banwell 10 73.96x
Belper 10 14.32x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 10 2.35x
Burnham 10 59.59x
Elmdon 10 206.61x
Hulme 10 1.75x
Moss Side 10 6.96x
Shoreditch London 10 1.00x
Upton Cum Chalvey 10 18.04x
Wimbledon 10 7.94x
Witley 10 126.74x
Wolverhampton 10 1.67x
Chelsea London 9 1.30x
Great Billing 9 293.16x
Hugglescote 9 23.98x
Lamberhurst 9 92.02x
Limehouse London 9 3.56x
Northampton St Giles 9 10.92x
Salford 9 1.12x
St Luke London 9 2.44x
Staines 9 24.70x
Stanton Under Bardon 9 441.18x
Wolstanton 9 3.81x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 139
Elizabeth 106
Sarah 93
Eliza 57
Ann 44
Emma 41
Ellen 37
Jane 37
Annie 33
Emily 32
Alice 28
Hannah 27
Ada 24
Louisa 24
Caroline 19
Charlotte 15
Fanny 14
Florence 14
Harriet 14
Harriett 14
Martha 14
Agnes 12
Catherine 12
Clara 11
Frances 11
Margaret 11
Maria 11
Maud 10
Rose 9
Susan 9
Edith 8
Susannah 8
Amelia 7
Ethel 7
Lucy 7
Anna 6
Esther 6
Jessie 6
Kate 6
Laura 6
Sophia 6
Amy 5
Bertha 5
Isabella 5
Lydia 5
Minnie 5
Constance 4
Lily 4
Lizzie 4
Rosa 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 127
William 107
George 86
Thomas 72
Henry 71
Charles 62
James 58
Joseph 43
Frederick 28
Arthur 27
Samuel 26
Alfred 25
Edward 25
Richard 23
Robert 23
Walter 21
Harry 20
Frank 15
Ernest 14
Albert 13
Herbert 11
Abraham 8
Edwin 8
Frederic 8
Wm. 8
Benjamin 7
Edmund 7
Francis 7
Fred 6
David 5
Solomon 5
Everard 4
Job 4
Leonard 4
Chas. 3
Daniel 3
Geo. 3
Horace 3
Percy 3
Peter 3
Phillip 3
Reginald 3
Stephen 3
Thos. 3
Wilfred 3
Clement 2
Jas. 2
Jonathan 2
Josiah 2
Lewis 2

FAQ

Willett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Willett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,352 people were recorded with the Willett surname. That placed it at #1,890 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Willett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,330 in 2016. That gives Willett a modern rank of #2,041.

What does the Willett surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "well head" or "stream" in Old English.

What does the Willett map show?

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