Willett
A surname that usually began as a medieval pet form of William, with the ending -ett marking a diminutive.
The #2,761 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 23,631 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Willett is generally understood as a diminutive of Will, itself the familiar form of William. The ending -ett comes through French influence and was widely used in medieval English surnames to make nicknames into family names. In effect, the name means something like "little Will" or "son of Will," though the precise emphasis could vary by family and region.
History
Medieval records show many spelling variants, including Willet, Willot, and Willott, reflecting the loose spelling of the period. The surname developed in England and later spread through Britain and to North America. Some 19th-century writers also treated it as one of several surnames built from short forms of William, alongside similar diminutives.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The same nickname base, Will, also produced a surprisingly large family of surnames, which is why Willett can sit alongside forms like Willet, Willott, and Willatts.
From the historical record
“-f the Fr. dim. suff. -at. Cp. Willett, Willott. WILLATTS, WiLLATT's (Son). WILLCOCK = Will (pers.), q.v. -|- the E. pet suff. -cock.”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)