Surname Whillans - Meaning and Origin

Whillans: What does the surname Whillans mean?

The last name Whillans is derived from the Old English words "hwil" and "ansu," which are both elements in early place names. Together, these two terms mean "hill of the ash trees." This surname is considered to have originated in the north of England, where there a few places still bearing the name today, such as Whillans in Cumberland and Whales in Durham.

This Anglo-Saxon surname was most likely first used in the 13th century by someone who lived on or near a hill with ash trees; the surname itself became hereditary over time, being passed down through families. By the mid-14th century, it was widely used as a surname in northern England.

Throughout the centuries, the spelling of the name often changed, depending on whom the surname was passed down to; variations of the spelling included Whillens, Whillens, Wiles and Wiley. In addition, other variations of the surname were prevalent over the following centuries, including Willins, Whillies and Wilens.

As well as being a common surname in northern England, variants of the surname also spread to Scotland, Ireland and Wales. Today it is is quite a common last name throughout the British Isles. People named Whillans or one of its many variants can be found around the world, testifying to the endurance of this Anglo-Saxon surname.

Whillans: Where does the name Whillans come from?

The last name Whillans is most commonly found in the Scotland and Northern Ireland today. The earliest known provenance of the surname is in the Scottish Borders region, although the family is believed to have migrated to Scotland from Northumbria many centuries ago. The family has a long tradition of being involved in the military, having participated in both the wars of Scottish independence and the English civil war. Over the centuries, the family has spread across Scotland and Ireland, and Whillans can now be found in most parts of both countries.

In modern times, the most populated areas for the Whillans surname are Edinburgh, Glasgow, Belfast, and Dundee, all of which have sizable numbers of Whillans households. Additionally, the Whillans family has also emigrated to many other countries in search of better economic opportunities, including the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The largest concentration of Whillans families abroad is in Canada, the US, and the UK, although the UK is currently home to a larger proportion of the Whillans population than any other nation.

Variations of the surname Whillans

The surname Whillans is an anglicized version of the Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic Mac Uilleam. The exact meaning of the surname is unclear, however some believe it to be 'son of William'. The other variants of Whillans include Macwilliam, MacWilliams, McWilliam, MacWilliamson, McWilliamson, MacIlauam, MacUilleam, and MacUilleamson. All of these surnames are of the same origin as Whillans, but with minor spelling variations.

It is generally thought that Whillans was an occupational name referring to a servant or worker/labourer of William. As an occupational surname, it may have referred to a servant of a knight, a shepherd, a carpenter, a blacksmith, a wool-worker, or a servant to a clergy member.

The spelling variants of Whillans can be divided into two major categories – Mac-prefix and Mc-prefix. The Mac-prefix comes from the Gaelic language and dates back to Scottish culture in the 12th century. The variations that have the Mc-prefix are more modern spelling variants of the same origin.

The spelling variants are not limited to a single language or culture, as the name has been around for centuries and different countries and languages have their own versions and different spelling variants. For example, the German spelling is Whylan, while French variants include Velan, Wilan, and Willian. In Spain, the name is spelled Villan and in Northern Italy, the name is spelled Guillan.

The most common surnames related to Whillans include Whelans, Whelan, Wilsons, Williamson, Willoughby, Wilke, Wilmoth, Willan and Willams. All of these surnames have the same ancestors and all share the same origin as Whillans. The spelling variants simply reflect the sound of the original Gaelic surname.

Famous people with the name Whillans

• Stan Whillans: a retired English footballer who began his career at Bolton Wanderers.
• Steve Whillans: an English Comedian who has performed in many clubs around the Midlands.
• Francis Whillans: a Canadian Hall of Fame Jockey who won 886 races over his career.
• Al Whillans: a Scottish international rugby player and coach who helped develop the game at the turn of the 20th century.
• Janet Whillans: a Scottish politician who was the first female Member of Parliament for Dundee.
• Gordon Whillans: an Australian Anglican Bishop and philanthropist whose leadership and dedication to reconciliation inspired many people.
• Matthew Whillans: the co-founder and creative director of Whillans Architecture and Design, based in Toronto.
• Vaughan Whillans: a British actor, writer and director who appeared in popular television series such as EastEnders and Casualty.
• James Whillans: a Scottish journalist, writer, economist and social commentator whose work focused on poverty, social justice and national identity.
• Gordon Whillans: a Canadian Professor at McMaster University whose anthropology research has focused on cultures of the North American Indigenous people.

Other surnames

WhillanceWhillas