I am the daughter of Alicia Faye Willis and James Earl Jacobs. I've lived in Michigan most of my life. I'm a mother of two daughters and a grandmother of one with a wonderful finance. As I begin to research my family history I first wanted to know the history on the Willis History and where the last name came from. The name Willis is a surname, often referred to as a last name or family name, is a name passed down through a family from generation to generation. Though each culture has its own norms, in the West the surname Is typically inherited from the paternal (father's) line. In ancient times, people were often referred to by their given name and place alone. Hereditary surnames developed to distinguish individuals with the same first name, a necessity as world populations grew, it wasn't until the 11th century that surnames began to be used throughout Europe. The History and Origin of the name Willis is English, which is the patronymic from the personal name Will.
The U.S. government began collecting official population records in Virginia in 1632, and established the federal census in 1790. In recent times, researchers have found that 1,712 surname's rank in popularity according to U.S. Census Statistics. Willis is 172nd most popular name in the U.S. with a 70 year lifespan and National average of 75.
The American Revolutionary War (1775-1783) was a conflict between Great Britain and the 13 British colonies of North America. Also known as the War of Independence, the colonies united to overthrow British rule, and formally declared independence in 1776. Willis was among the group who fought to secure U.S. freedom. Willis was among millions those who participated in the historic conflict of the American Civil War (1861-1865, more than 3 million soldiers fought in this conflict on both sides. Leading into the Second World War (1939-195), Willis also fought with the Allied forces.