NameCensus.

UK surname

Willits

Derived from a place name meaning "a place of willows" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 124 people recorded with the Willits surname, ranking it #17,429 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 84, ranked #32,726, down from #17,429 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dawley, Magna, Rowley Regis and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sunderland, North Warwickshire and York.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Willits is 153 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 32.3%.

1881 census count

124

Ranked #17,429

Modern count

84

2016, ranked #32,726

Peak year

1911

153 bearers

Map years

6

1851 to 1911

Key insights

  • Willits had 124 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,429 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 84 in 2016, ranked #32,726.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 153 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Mature Families.

Willits surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Willits surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Willits 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 136 #13,892
1861 historical 122 #18,036
1881 historical 124 #17,429
1891 historical 100 #24,045
1901 historical 110 #21,604
1911 historical 153 #17,633
1997 modern 91 #28,215
1998 modern 98 #27,923
1999 modern 102 #27,468
2000 modern 107 #26,700
2001 modern 108 #26,184
2002 modern 109 #26,552
2003 modern 98 #28,046
2004 modern 103 #27,503
2005 modern 99 #28,177
2006 modern 99 #28,453
2007 modern 90 #30,228
2008 modern 94 #29,950
2009 modern 90 #31,094
2010 modern 94 #31,111
2011 modern 95 #30,877
2012 modern 85 #32,395
2013 modern 82 #32,903
2014 modern 84 #32,823
2015 modern 86 #32,604
2016 modern 84 #32,726

Geography

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Where Willits' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dawley, Magna, Rowley Regis, Gateshead, Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon) and St Werburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sunderland, North Warwickshire, York, North Tyneside and South Staffordshire. 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 Dawley, Magna Shropshire
2 Rowley Regis Staffordshire
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon) Northumberland
5 St Werburgh Derbyshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sunderland 007 Sunderland
2 North Warwickshire 001 North Warwickshire
3 York 017 York
4 North Tyneside 016 North Tyneside
5 South Staffordshire 001 South Staffordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Willits

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Willits

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Established Mature Families

Nationally, the Willits surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Mature Families, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Willits household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Married couples predominate, many with older dependent children. Detached housing is common. Homeownership rates are the highest within this Supergroup. The presence of some students suggests that households are towards the end of a child rearing phase. Many residents have degree level qualifications, and the occupational profile is heavily skewed towards managerial and professional occupations. Residential developments commonly occur on the periphery of major urban cities or conurbations.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Willits 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

Willits is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Willits 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 Willits 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 Willits, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Willits

The surname Willits originates from England, and its earliest known use can be traced back to the 13th century. The name is believed to have derived from the Old English words "wille," meaning willow tree, and "hyht," meaning a small hill or ridge. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a willow-covered hill or ridge.

One of the earliest known references to the Willits surname can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which mentions a John de Wylyhughtes. This early spelling variation highlights the name's evolution over time.

During the 14th century, the name was also documented in various records from the county of Gloucestershire, including the Assize Rolls from 1349, which mention a John Wylyhughtes. This indicates that the name was well-established in the region during that period.

In the 15th century, the Willits surname appeared in the Parish Registers of St. Michael's Church in Gloucester, with entries for individuals such as Thomas Willyghtes and Johanna Willyghtes, dated 1487 and 1498, respectively.

One notable figure with the Willits surname was Sir Thomas Willits (1560-1621), a renowned English lawyer and judge who served as the Chief Justice of the Common Pleas during the reign of King James I.

Another prominent individual was Robert Willits (1677-1744), a British architect and surveyor who was responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields.

In the late 18th century, the Willits surname was also found in Scotland, with records showing a John Willits (1759-1835) who was a prominent merchant and landowner in the city of Glasgow.

Moving into the 19th century, one notable figure was Benjamin Willits (1812-1893), an American businessman and philanthropist from Pennsylvania. He founded the Willits and Company manufacturing firm and was known for his charitable contributions to educational institutions.

In the field of literature, Anita Willits Burnham (1880-1958) was an American novelist and short story writer, best known for her works depicting rural life in New England.

Throughout its history, the Willits surname has been associated with various locations and place names, including Willits Hill in Gloucestershire, Willits Green in Hertfordshire, and the town of Willits in Mendocino County, California, which was likely named after an early settler with the surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Willits families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Willits 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. Northumberland leads with 20 Willits' recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.58x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 20 11.58x
Shropshire 19 18.95x
Warwickshire 18 6.15x
Staffordshire 17 4.34x
Durham 11 3.19x
Worcestershire 10 6.60x
Derbyshire 9 4.95x
Yorkshire 7 0.61x
Middlesex 3 0.26x
Lincolnshire 2 1.08x
Devon 1 0.41x
Isle of Man 1 4.64x
Lancashire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 15 Willits' recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.61x.

Place Total Index
Aston 15 18.61x
Cannock 11 160.82x
Dawley 10 273.97x
Normanton 9 588.24x
Wellington 9 159.57x
Cullercoates 7 1296.30x
Gateshead 6 23.21x
Tynemouth 6 64.86x
Berwick Upon Tweed 5 136.61x
Westoe 5 25.55x
Lower Mitton 4 298.51x
York St Lawrence 4 333.33x
Oldbury 3 40.21x
Brewood 2 176.99x
Chelsea London 2 5.72x
Dudley 2 10.85x
Epworth 2 229.89x
Handsworth 2 20.70x
Linthrope 2 909.09x
North Shields 2 57.97x
Aston Cum Aughton 1 106.38x
Birmingham 1 1.03x
Braddan 1 84.75x
Burntwood Edial 1 40.00x
Edgbaston 1 11.01x
Hampstead London 1 5.53x
Harborne 1 7.96x
South Molton 1 75.19x
Sutton Coldfield 1 32.47x
Toxteth Park 1 2.14x
Yardley 1 25.77x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Elizabeth 7
Sarah 6
Eliza 4
Jane 4
Janet 2
Martha 2
Rose 2
Ada 1
Adlia 1
Alice 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Ellen 1
Georgina 1
Harriet 1
Isabella 1
Joanna 1
Julia 1
Margaret 1
Margt. 1
Nellie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 10
John 9
George 5
James 5
Thomas 5
Richard 4
Herbert 3
Joseph 3
Frederick 2
Henery 2
Henry 2
Robert 2
Arther 1
Daniel 1
Edward 1
Frank 1
Harry 1
Isaiah 1
Isiah 1
J. 1
Jabez 1
Oliver 1
Samuel 1
Timothy 1
Walter 1
Zenas 1

FAQ

Willits surname: questions and answers

How common was the Willits surname in 1881?

In 1881, 124 people were recorded with the Willits surname. That placed it at #17,429 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Willits surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 84 in 2016. That gives Willits a modern rank of #32,726.

What does the Willits surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "a place of willows" in Old English.

What does the Willits map show?

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