| ![Show Contents]() Wilhelms 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 Wilhelms. 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 Wilhelms family. Early Origins of the Wilhelms familyThe surname Wilhelms 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 Wilhelms familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wilhelms research. Another 87 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1709, 1812, 1845 and 1864 are included under the topic Early Wilhelms History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Wilhelms Spelling VariationsOne can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames: in early times, spelling in general, and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized; and later, spellings would change with branching and movement of families. Variations of the name Wilhelms include Wilhelm, Wilhem, Wilhelmi (Latinized), Wilhelmy, Wilhelmus (Latinized), Wilhelms, Wilhelmsen (Holstein), Wilhalm (Bavaria, Austria), Wilms (Friesland) and many more. Early Notables of the Wilhelms familyMore information is included under the topic Early Wilhelms Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
 Wilhelms migration to the United States | + |
The state of Prussia was a great influence on the shape of modern Germany. After the Second World War, Prussia's land was divided among the Soviet Union, Poland, East Germany and West Germany and the state was abolished. Some Prussians remained in those countries after the war, while many others migrated to North America in search of a new start. Philadelphia was their primary point of entry to the United States, after which many of them moved on to Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. A large number of Prussians also migrated to Ontario and the prairie provinces as United Empire Loyalists. Analysis of immigration records has shown some of the first Wilhelmss to arrive in North America, and among them were:
Wilhelms Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Cath Anna Wilhelms, who landed in America in 1795 1
Wilhelms Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Amalia Wilhelms, who arrived in New York in 1850 1
- George Wilhelms, who arrived in New Jersey in 1854 1
- Johanna Wilhelms, aged 59, who landed in New York in 1862 1
| Contemporary Notables of the name Wilhelms (post 1700) | + |
- Don Edward Wilhelms (b. 1930), American former United States Geological Survey geologist, known for his work on geologic training of the Apollo astronauts, recipient of the G. K. Gilbert Award in 1988 and the Shoemaker Distinguished Lunar Scientist Award in 2010
- Thorsten Wilhelms (b. 1969), former German cyclist who won the Tour of Qatar (2002)
- Jenny Wilhelms (b. 1974), Finnish musician
- Einar Wilhelms (1895-1978), Norwegian football player
| Historic Events for the Wilhelms family | + |
- Mr. Charles Wilhelms, aged 32, English Second Class passenger from London, England who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and survived the sinking escaping on life boat 9 2
- 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)
- Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html
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Wilhelms migration to the United States 
