Willans History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor as in 'the son of William,' from nickname Will, diminutive Will-in. 1 2

Early Origins of the Willans family

The surname Willans was first found in Yorkshire, where the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 include: Cecilia Wylyn; Ricardus Wylyn; and Johannes Willion as all holding klands there at that time. 1

"The Willings are represented in the Kingsbridge district [of Devon.] Willing was a Buckinghamshire name in the reign of Edward I. " 3

Further to the north in Scotland, the earliest record of this name was of Thomas and William Whillans who held lands in the Lordship of Liddesdale about 1490. The name is believed to be derived from the old lands of Quheillands in the lordships of Liddisdaill. Thomas and William Querland were mentioned in 1505 and just one year later, they are referred to as Thomas and William Querlance.

Early History of the Willans family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Willans research. Another 167 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1490, 1578, 1579, 1622, 1704 and 1750 are included under the topic Early Willans History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Willans Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Willans include Whillans, Whillens, Wheelans, Willan, Willans and others.

Early Notables of the Willans family

More information is included under the topic Early Willans Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Willans migration to the United States +

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Willans or a variant listed above:

Willans Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

J. Willans, aged 20, who settled in America from London, in 1893

Willans Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Richard H. K. Willans, aged 30, who landed in America from Bermuda, in 1904
Charles Turner Willans, aged 20, who landed in America from London, England, in 1912
Julia Willans, aged 52, who immigrated to the United States from Bradford, England, in 1920
Marguerite Jeune Willans, aged 18, who landed in America from Bedford, England, in 1920
Pioter W. Willans, aged 22, who immigrated to America, in 1921
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Willans (post 1700) +

Peter Willans (1851-1892), English co-founder of Willans & Robinson Limited in the 1870s, manufacturing engineers in Thames Ditton, Surrey, known for their Willans engine was a high-speed stationary steam engine used for electricity generation
Herbert Geoffrey Willans (1911-1958), English author and journalist
Sir Thomas Willans Nussey (1868-1947), 1st Baronet of Rushwood Hall in the County of York, an English barrister and Liberal Party politician
Sir Owen Willans Richardson FRS (1879-1959), English physicist who was awarded the Nobel Prize for physics in 1928 4

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Charnock, Richard, Stephen, Ludus Patronymicus of The Etymology of Curious Surnames. London: Trubner & Co., 60 Paternoster Row, 1868. Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Owen Richardson. (Retrieved 2010, September 27) Owen Richardson. Retrieved from http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1928/richardson-bio.html