Wishlist
Menu
Cart
HouseofNames
Wishlist
Cart

Show ContentsWhillans History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Product

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

4.9 Average Rating

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 Whillans family

The surname Whillans 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 Whillans family

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

Whillans Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Whillans, Whillens, Wheelans, Willan, Willans and others.

Early Notables of the Whillans family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was

  • James Whillans of Coldingham

Migration of the Whillans family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: John Whilan settled in New York in 1853.

Contemporary Notables of the name Whillans (post 1700) +

  • Don Whillans (1933-1985), English rock-climber and mountaineer
  • Dr. Ian Whillans, Ohio State Glaciologist, eponym of the Whillans Ice Stream, a glaciological feature of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet
  • Ken Whillans, Canadian politician, Mayor of the City of Brampton from 1974 to 1989
  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. Charnock, Richard, Stephen, Ludus Patronymicus of The Etymology of Curious Surnames. London: Trubner & Co., 60 Paternoster Row, 1868. Print.
  3. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Houseofnames.com on Facebook