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![Show Contents]() Wilhelmus History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 Germany
The German state of Prussia, which reached the zenith of its power in the late 19th century, is the glorious birthplace of the distinguished surname Wilhelmus. In the medieval era, after the fall of the Roman Empire, the German lands were inhabited by a variety of Barbarian tribes. The borders of the Barbarian kingdoms changed frequently, but the region that became known in Prussia was roughly divided between the areas of Brandenburg-Prussia, West Prussia, and East Prussia. The colorful history of Brandenburg-Prussia, which is essentially the birthplace of modern Germany, provides a glimpse at the oldest origins of the Wilhelmus family. Early Origins of the Wilhelmus familyThe surname Wilhelmus was first found in northern Germany, where the name was associated in early mediaeval times with the feudal society which would become prominent throughout European history. The name would eventually emerge as belonging to a noble family with great influence, having many distinguished branches, and become noted for its involvement in social, economic and political affairs. Its use as a Surname must be traced back to its immense popularity as a first name early in the Middle Ages. Indeed, one chronicle mentions a knight's feast in Bayeux around 1171 A.D. in which alone 117 Wilhelms were listed as taking part. Early History of the Wilhelmus familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wilhelmus research. Another 87 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1709, 1812, 1845 and 1864 are included under the topic Early Wilhelmus History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Wilhelmus Spelling VariationsMany cultural groups lived in the German states in medieval times. Each had its own dialect and traditions, and unique variations of popular names. Low German, which is similar to contemporary Dutch, was spoken in Westphalia. German names are characterized by additions such as regional suffixes and phrases that tell something about the origin or background of its original bearer. Further contributing to the variation in German names was the fact that there were no spelling rules in medieval times: scribes recorded names according to their sound. The recorded spelling variations of Wilhelmus include Wilhelm, Wilhem, Wilhelmi (Latinized), Wilhelmy, Wilhelmus (Latinized), Wilhelms, Wilhelmsen (Holstein), Wilhalm (Bavaria, Austria), Wilms (Friesland) and many more. Early Notables of the Wilhelmus familyMore information is included under the topic Early Wilhelmus Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
 Wilhelmus migration to the United States | + |
Prussia played an extremely influential role in shaping modern German history. It remained a part of Germany until after the Second World War. Prussia was divided among the Soviet Union, Poland, East Germany and West Germany. Many Prussians became residents of these new countries after the War, and many migrated to other parts of Germany or Europe, as well as to North America. In the United States, the majority of settlers landed in Philadelphia, and moved on to Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. Many German settlers also migrated to Canada, particularly to Ontario and the Prairies. Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Wilhelmus were
Wilhelmus Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Jacob Wilhelmus, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1727
- Johannes Wilhelmus, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1752 1
Wilhelmus Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Michael Wilhelmus, who landed in North America in 1846 1
- Johann Wilhelmus, who landed in New York in 1847 1
| Contemporary Notables of the name Wilhelmus (post 1700) | + |
- Wilhelmus Marinus Antonius "Wim" Jansen (1946-2022), Dutch professional football player and manager from Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Wilhelmus Frederikus "Pim" Koopman (1953-2009), Dutch drummer and percussionist of the Dutch rock band, Kayak
- Wilhelmus Henricus Maria van den Hout (1915-1985), Dutch writer and publicist
- Wilhelmus Albertus "Benny" Neyman (1951-2008), Dutch singer
- Wilhelmus Gerardus Schroder (b. 1971), Dutch show jumping equestrian
- 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)
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Wilhelmus migration to the United States 
