Explore the Family Name Willer
The meaning of Willer
1. German and Dutch: from a personal name composed of the ancient Germanic elements wil ‘will, desire’ + heri ‘army’. 2. English: variant of Weller. 3. English: perhaps in some cases an occupational name from a shortened form of Willyer, now extinct, but derived from Middle English wilier ‘one who works in willow’, a derivative of Middle English wily (Old English wilige) ‘willow’ + -er ‘worker in willow’, probably a maker of baskets or hurdles.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Willer in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Willer has seen a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked the 12,360th most popular surname, but by 2010, it had fallen to 13,133rd place, representing a decline of 6.25%. Despite this drop in rank, the actual count of individuals with the Willer surname increased marginally from 2,305 in 2000 to 2,331 in 2010, a growth of 1.13%. Consequently, the proportion of Willers per 100k people decreased by 7.06% over the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #12,360 | #13,133 | -6.25% |
| Count | 2,305 | 2,331 | 1.13% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.85 | 0.79 | -7.06% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Willer
The ethnicity distribution for those carrying the Willer surname also changed slightly according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. The majority of Willers identified their ethnicity as white, which increased from 90.76% in 2000 to 91.21% in 2010. Those identifying as Hispanic experienced the most significant increase, growing 40.80% to represent 2.45% of all Willers in 2010. There were also increases in those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native, albeit from a low base (0.30% to 0.43%). On the other hand, the percentages of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, or belonging to two or more races each fell, with the largest decrease seen among those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, falling 31.71%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 90.76% | 91.21% | 0.5% |
| Black | 5.16% | 4.42% | -14.34% |
| Hispanic | 1.74% | 2.45% | 40.8% |
| Two or More Races | 1.21% | 0.94% | -22.31% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.82% | 0.56% | -31.71% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.3% | 0.43% | 43.33% |