# Will (surname)

Source: https://namelineage.com/surname/will/  
Publisher: Name Lineage. Counts from the US Census Bureau; origin and etymology from Wiktionary; bearers from Wikidata. Data updated 2026-11-11.

A surname originating as a patronymic.

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Origin | not recorded |
| Type | patronymic, formed from a father’s (or ancestor’s) given name |
| People in the US (2010 Census) | 12,575 |
| US rank (2010) | 2,869 of 162,253 |
| How often | about 1 in every 24,552 people |
| Change since 2000 | -4.6% (13,177 in 2000) |
| Pronunciation | /wɪl/, 1 syllable |
| Variant spellings | none recorded |

## Etymology

Clipping of William or Willow, less often, other given names beginning with Wil-, such as Wilfred or Willard.

## Who carries it

Share of people named Will in the 2010 US Census by the Census's own race and ethnicity groups. The Census suppresses a share when the count behind it is small.

| Group | Share |
|---|---|
| White (not Hispanic) | 91% |
| Black (not Hispanic) | 4.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.0% |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 0.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.3% |
| Two or more races | 1.4% |

## Where

Wikidata records people named Will in the United States.

## People named Will

- George Will, American newspaper columnist, journalist, and author
- Brad Will, American activist (1970–2006)
- Bob Will, American rower (1925–2019)

## Similar surnames

Wall, Wiley, Willey, Weil, Willie, Wille, Wile, Woll, Whaley, Wahl, Wylie, Woolley.

## How to read these numbers

A Census count is people alive and counted in 2010, not births, and names occurring fewer than 100 times are not published at all. Ethnicity shares are the Census's own categories.