Contents [hide]

Willet History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Citations

Willet History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
France

The surname Willet is derived from the diminutive form of the Old English personal name "Will" or "William." 1 Thus, the name refers to a "son of Willet." One of the first records was as a forename, specifically Wil(l)ot de Foxwist in the Assize Rolls for Cheshire in 1286. 2

Early Origins of the Willet family

The surname Willet was first found in Suffolk where Symon Wylot was listed in the Feet of Fines for 1269. A few years later, Thomas Wilet was found in the Assize Rolls for Somerset in 1277 and William Wyllet, Wyllot was registered in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1327 and 1332. 2

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had only one listing for the family, that of Richard Wylyot in Norfolk in 1273. 3 In Somerset, John Wilot was listed as holding lands 1 Edward III (during the first year of the reign of King Edward III.) 4

Early History of the Willet family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Willet research. Another 144 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1511, 1562, 1586, 1598, 1605, 1621, 1633, 1650, 1665, 1674, 1678, 1703, 1718, 1719, 1736, 1764 and 1795 are included under the topic Early Willet History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Willet Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Willet, Willett, Willhite, Willot, Willitt, Willets and many more.

Early Notables of the Willet family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

Dr. Andrew Willet (1562- 1621), an English clergyman and controversialist. Born at Ely in 1562, he was son of Thomas Willet (1511?-1598), who began his career as a public notary, and officiated as suc...
Deborah "Deb" Willet (1650-1678), was a young maid employed by Samuel Pepys (1633-1703) whose extramarital liaisons were chronicled in his famous diary
Thomas Willett (1605-1674), born in Hertfordshire, was an early American merchant, Plymouth Colony trader and sea-captain, Commissioner of New Netherland, magistrate of Plymouth Colony, first Mayor of...
Ralph Willett (1719-1795), book-collector, was the elder son of Henry Willett of the island of St. Christopher, who married, about 1718, Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Colonel John Stanley of the islan...

Willet migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Willet Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Thomas Willet, who settled in Plymouth in 1630
Thomas Willet, who arrived in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1630 5
Tobie Willet, who landed in New England in 1632 5
Henry Willet, who settled in Virginia in 1640
Peter Willet, who landed in Virginia in 1649 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Willet Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Anna Cath Willet, who immigrated to Charleston, South Carolina in 1764
Joseph Willet, who arrived in Boston in 1765

Willet Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Gilbert C Willet, who landed in New York in 1812 5
Christian Willet, who landed in America in 1854 5
Mary J. Willet, who settled in Massachusetts in 1860

Willet migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Willet Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Philip Willet, who was living in Ontario in 1871

Contemporary Notables of the name Willet (post 1700) +

Gerald L. Willet (1934-2017), American politician and businessman who served in the Minnesota Senate from 1971 to 1988
Slim Willet (1919-1966), born Winston Lee Moore, an American disc jockey, musician, and songwriter, inducted into the Country Music DJ Hall of Fame in 1994
William Willet (1869-1921), American portrait painter, muralist, stained glass designer, studio owner and writer
Marinus Willet (1740-1830), American politician, Mayor of New York City, New York, 1807-08 6
Commodore William Willet, Private Secretary to Prince Phillip
Willet E. Hoysradt, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from New York, 1916 7
Willet I. VanDemark, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Ulster County 2nd District, 1887 8

The Willet Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Dieu et mon devoir
Motto Translation: God and my work.

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 12) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 27) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 2) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html