Willis (surname)

Willis, a variant of the name William, is a surname, of Scottish and English origin meaning (Son of William). Notable persons with that surname include:

A

• Adam Willis (footballer) (born 1976), retired English footballer
• Albert Sydney Willis (1843–1897), American politician
• Alicia Leigh Willis (born 1978), American actress
• Allee Willis, American songwriter
• Arthur Willis (1920–1987), English footballer
• Austin Willis (1917–2004), Canadian actor
• Achille Murat Willis, Jr. (1916–2011), Chairman of the Board of Regents, University of North Texas

B

• Bailey Willis (1857-1949), American geologist
• Beth Willis (producer), British television producer
• Bill Willis (1921–2007), American footballer
• Bob Willis (born 1949), English cricketer
• Bobby Willis (1942–1999), British songwriter
• Browne Willis (1682–1760), English antiquarian and numismatist
• Bruce Willis (born 1955), American actor

C

• Cardis Cardell Willis (1937-2007), American comedian
• Carl Willis (born 1960), former American baseball player
• Carl Willis (Australian) (1893–1930), Australian rules footballer
• Carol Willis (disambiguation), several people
• Charles Willis (1827–1895), English cricketer
• Charles T. Willis (1841–1921), New York politician
• Chris Willis, American singer
• Chuck Willis (1928–1958), American blues singer/songwriter
• Connie Willis (born 1945), American science fiction writer
• Craig Willis (born 1954), Australian sports announcer

D

• Dave Willis (born 1970), American voice actor
• David Willis (disambiguation), several people
• Deborah Willis (disambiguation), several people
• Dinah Willis (born 1945), American model
• Dixie Willis (born 1941), former Australian middle distance runner
• Donald Willis (born 1973), former American football player
• Don Willis (1909–1984), American pool hustler
• Dontrelle Willis (born 1982), Major League pitcher for the Detroit Tigers

E

• Eddie Willis (born 1936), African-American musician
• Edward Willis (disambiguation), several people
• Edwin B. Willis (1893–1963), American film set designer
• Edwin E. Willis (1904–1972), American politician
• Elizabeth Willis (born 1961), American poet
• Ellen Willis (1941–2006), American political essayist
• Eric Willis (1922–1999), Australian politician
• Errick Willis (1896–1967), Canadian politician

F

• Felicity Willis (born 1978), Puerto Rican basketball player
• Francis Willis (disambiguation), several people
• Frank Wills (disambiguation), several people
• Fred Willis (born 1947), retired American football player
• Sir Frederick Arthur Willis (d. 1899), British Army general

G

• Gary Willis, American musician
• Geoff Willis (born 1959), Formula One Technical Director (Red Bull)
• George Willis (disambiguation), several people
• Gerri Willis, CNN news anchor
• Gordon Willis (1931–2014), American cinematographer

H

• Henry Willis (disambiguation), several people
• Henry Parker Willis (1874–1937), American finance expert
• Horace Luther "H. L." Willis (1892-1979), American mayor
• Humphrey Willis, Anglo-Irish soldier of the 16th century

I

• Ike Willis, American musician

J

• James Willis (disambiguation), several people
• Jason Willis (born 1980), American footballer
• Jerome Willis (born 1928), British stage and screen actor
• Jim Willis (baseball) (born 1927), American former baseball player
• John Willis (disambiguation), several people

K

• Katherine Willis (born 1971), American actress
• Kelly Willis (born 1968), American country music singer/songwriter
• Keith Willis (born 1959), former American footballer
• Ken Willis (born 1968), former American footballer
• Kevin Willis (born 1962), former American professional basketball player

L

• Larry Willis (born 1942), American jazz pianist
• Leo Willis (1890–1952), American actor
• Linda Willis (born 1949), witness during the assassination of President Kennedy

M

• Mark Willis (disambiguation), several people
• Matt Willis (disambiguation), several people
• Matthew Willis (disambiguation), several people
• Meredith Sue Willis (born 1946), American writer
• Michael Willis (born 1949), American actor
• Michelle Willis, American composer
• Mike Willis (born 1950), former American baseball player

N

• Nathaniel Parker Willis (1806–1867), American author, poet and editor
• Nick Willis (born 1983), New Zealand middle distance athlete
• Noah G. Willis (1940-2015), American politician
• Norman Willis (born 1933), British TYC General Secretary (1984–93)

P

• Patrick Willis (born 1985), American footballer
• Patrick Willis (judge) (born 1950), American judge
• Paul Willis (disambiguation), several people
• Pete Willis (born 1960), British musician
• Peter Willis (born 1937), former English footballer
• Peter Tom Willis (born 1967), former American footballer
• Phil Willis (b 1941), British politician
• Phillip Willis (1918–1995), witness the assassination of President Kennedy
• Patricia Willis, American novelist who wrote a handful of novels most notably Danger Along the Ohio

R

• Ralph Willis (born 1938), Australian politician
• Ray Willis (born 1982), American footballer
• Raymond E. Willis (1875–1956), US senator from Indiana
• Rex Willis (1924–2000), Welsh rugby union player
• Richard Storrs Willis (1818–1900), American composer
• Richard Willis (spy) (c. 1613-1690), English Civil War spy
• Richard Gardiner Willis (1865–1929), Canadian politician
• Richard Raymond Willis (1876–1968), English Victoria Cross recipient
• Robert Willis (1800–1875), English scientist
• Robert Willis (1800–1875), English academic and writer on church architecture
• Robert Willis, dean of Canterbury since 2001
• Rosemary Willis (born 1953), witness to the assassination of President Kennedy
• Rumer Willis (born 1968), American actress

S

• Sarah Willis (author), American novelist
• Shane Willis (born 1977), Canadian ice hockey player
• Simon Willis, British journalist
• Simon Willis (cricketer) (born 1974), former English cricketer

T

• Ted Willis, Baron Willis (1914–1992), British television dramatist
• Thomas Willis (1621–1675), English doctor and founder of modern neurology
• Tom Willis (born 1983), Australian soccer player
• Tom Willis (rugby union) (born 1979), New Zealand rugby union player

V

• Vic Willis (1875–1947), American Major League baseball player
• Victor Willis (born 1951), American singer/songwriter

W

• Walt Willis (1919–1999), Irish science fiction writer
• Walter Willis (disambiguation), several people
• Wesley Willis (1963–2003), Chicago artist and musician
• William Nicholas Willis (1858–1922), Australian politician
• William Willis (1837–1894), British physician
• William Willis (1897–1971), American sailor and adventurer
• William Willis (1841–1923), British inventor
• William Willis (1794–1870), American politician, Mayor of Portland, Maine, in 1857
• William Willis Garth (1828–1912), American politician
• Wincey Willis (born 1948), weather forecaster on TVAM in Britain in the 1980s