Surname Wilbanks - Meaning and Origin

Tracing the Wilbanks Ancestry: A Revelatory Expedition Through iGENEA DNA Testing

After diving into the depths of my ancestry via a series of DNA tests conducted by iGENEA, I discovered a considerable amount about the roots of the Wilbanks surname. Scientifically accurate and ethically conducted, these tests have shed light on the fascinating journey of how the Wilbanks name traversed through historical periods and geographical changes.

P. Wilbanks

Wilbanks: What does the surname Wilbanks mean?

The surname Wilbanks is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is geographical, denoting someone who lived near a stream (or banks) that was possibly named "Wild". In Old English, "wilde" meant "wild, hostile" and "banke" referred to the slope or bank of a river. Alternatively, it could also mean "willow banks", as "wil" or "wyl" means willow in Old English. Surnames reflecting geographical features were often given to the lord of the land or to individuals who lived or worked in those areas.

Over time, the spelling could have changed numerous times due to factors like literacy level and local dialect. Now, several variations of the name exist such as Willbanks, Wellbanks, etc.

It is also worth mentioning that specific meaning could vary based on regional usage and interpretation over time. There could be other possible interpretations of this name in different cultures and languages. Today, Wilbanks is a popular surname in the United States.

Wilbanks: Where does the name Wilbanks come from?

The last name Wilbanks is common throughout the United States of America today. It has been identified as one of the 500 most popular surnames appearing in the United States Census from 2010-2016. The states with the highest density of Wilbanks are Georgia, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Texas. The greatest concentration, 40% of Wilbanks, are found in Tennessee. It is likely that many of the Wilbanks families stemmed from early settlers in the Southern states.

The Wilbanks surname is of Old English origin and dates back to the eleventh century, having first appeared in Britain and Ireland. The first recorded instance of the name was Walter Wilbanks or Wilbanck, who was recorded in the Domesday Book, a land survey of medieval England. It likely emerged as a nickname from the Middle English, "wil(l) regen", which meant "will rule".

Today, in American society, the Wilbanks surname is typically seen as a common name. It is most popular in the southeastern United States, but can still be found in other states like Oregon, Idaho, and New York. In addition to being one of the 500 surnames in the United States, it was also identified as one of the top 1000 surnames in England in the mid-2000s.

Variations of the surname Wilbanks

The surname Wilbanks is derived from the Middle English word 'wilbanc'. It was an archaic term for a small bridge or a causeway built over a morass or a difficult area of land. This word varied over time and place but was commonly spelled 'wylbank', 'wylbanc', 'welbank', 'welbanc', 'wheelbanck', or 'wylbanck'.

Variants and spellings of this surname are numerous and include Wilbanks, Welbank, Wilbancs, Wilbanck, Weilbank, Wilbanchs, Wilbank, Welbanks, Wilbaunce, Wylbanke, Wylbanc, Wylbanckes, Wylbanks, Wulbank, Wallbank, and Wallbanks.

Some of the surnames of the same origin include Woodward, Underwood, Orford, Oldford, and Faulkner.

The Wilbanks surname is also sometimes found in Scotland, where it was used as a nickname for a person whose ancestors came from Wales. The Scots spellings of this surname are Wilbourne and Wilbun.

No matter which variant is used, the Wilbanks surname is derived from the Middle English word ‘wilbanc’, which referred to a small bridge or causeway built over a difficult area of land. It is one of the oldest English surnames and one of the most enduring family names in the United Kingdom.

Famous people with the name Wilbanks

• Jordan Wilbanks: Former professional soccer player and current Soccer coach and mentor.
• Taki Wilbanks: Professional mixed martial artist and kickboxer
• Herndon Wilbanks: Professional NASCAR driver
• Carter Wilbanks: Former football player
• Liza Wilbanks: Professional reality TV personality
• Martin Wilbanks: Professional baseball player
• Ken Wilbanks: Professional downhill mountain bike racer
• Jason Wilbanks: Professional bass fisherman
• Matt Wilbanks: Professional fisherman and chef
• Sam Wilbanks: Former professional football player and current radio analyst
• Billy Wilbanks: Professional disc golf player
• John Wilbanks: CEO of Sage Bionetworks
• Derek Wilbanks: Former professional wrestler
• Gordon Wilbanks: Professional basketball player
• Lane Wilbanks: Professional ice hockey player
• Ashtyn Wilbanks: Professional pole vaulter
• Dennis Wilbanks: Former professional golfer
• David Wilbanks: Former businessman and professional proprietor
• Bryan Wilbanks: Professional mixed martial artist
• Tommy Wilbanks: Professional rodeo clown

Other surnames

Wilbank