Willes History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The distinguished surname Willes emerged among the industrious people of Flanders, which was an important trading partner and political ally of Britain during the Middle Ages. As a result of the frequent commercial intercourse between the Flemish and English nations, many Flemish migrants settled in Britain. In early times, people were known by only a single name. However, as the population grew and people traveled further afield, it became increasingly necessary to assume an additional name to differentiate between bearers of the same personal name. Occupational surnames were derived from the common trades of the medieval era. The surname Willes is an occupational name for a person employed in trapping fish. The surname Willes is derived from the late Old English word wil, which means trick and was used to refer to mechanical devices such as windmills or traps. This derivation of the name Willes is supported by the existence of the Old English word wyle, which refers to a wicker trap for catching fish, particularly eels. Historians also suggest that the surname may have also been a nickname applied to a cunning man or someone "of many wiles."

Early Origins of the Willes family

The surname Willes was first found in Sussex where they held a family seat from early times.

Early History of the Willes family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Willes research. Another 67 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1558, 1573, 1685, 1693, 1761 and 1773 are included under the topic Early Willes History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Willes Spelling Variations

Flemish surnames are characterized by a large number of spelling variations. One reason for this is that medieval English lacked definite spelling rules. The spellings of surnames were also influenced by the official court languages, which were French and Latin. Names were rarely spelled consistently in medieval times. Scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to specific spelling rules, and people often had their names registered in several different forms throughout their lives. One of the greatest reasons for change is the linguistic uniqueness of the Flemish settlers in England, who spoke a language closely related to Dutch. The pronunciation and spelling of Flemish names were often altered to suit the tastes of English-speaking people. In many cases, the first, final, or middle syllables of surnames were eliminated. The name has been spelled Wiles, Willes, Wyles and others.

Early Notables of the Willes family

Prominent in the family at this time was

Richard Willes or Willey (fl. 1558-1573), English poetical writer, a native of Pulham in Dorset. 1
Edward Willes (1693-1773), was an English Anglican Bishop of St David's and later Bishop of Bath and Wells. He died in London in 1773, and is buried in Westminster Abbey
Sir John Willes PC (1685-1761) was an English lawyer and judge, the longest-serving Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas since the 15th century. He came of an old Warwickshire family, and was th...

Willes migration to the United States +

Early immigration records have shown some of the first Willess to arrive on North American shores:

Willes Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Michael Willes, who arrived in Dorchester, Massachusetts in 1638 2
Eliz Willes, who arrived in Virginia in 1654 2
John Willes, who landed in Maryland in 1668 2
Thomas Willes, who landed in Maryland in 1670 2

Willes Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Joshua Willes, who arrived in New York, NY in 1816 2
Mary Willes, who landed in New York, NY in 1816 2
William Willes, who arrived in Virginia in 1887 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Willes (post 1700) +

William Sydney Smith "Sidney" Willes (1819-1871), American Mormon pioneer, member of the Mormon Battalion, one of the founders of Lehi, Utah
William Willes (1814-1890), American Latter-day Saint songwriter
Jean Willes (1923-1989), American film and television actress, known for roles in Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956), Ocean's 11 (1960) and Gypsy (1962)
Jabez Willes (1790-1842), American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from St. Lawrence County, 1828, 1834; Member of New York State Senate 4th District, 1835-38
Stephen Willes, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Albany County, 1819-21, 1825 3
S. Blaine Willes, American politician, Mayor of Orem, Utah, 1986-89 3
John Willes (1778-1852), English cricketer for Kent (1806-1822)
Sir John Willes (1721-1784), English politician, Member of Parliament for Banbury (1746-1754) and for Aylesbury (1754-1761)
Edward Willes (1723-1787), English barrister, politician, and judge, son of Sir John Willes
Edward Willes (1702-1768), English jurist, Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer
... (Another 6 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. 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