Origins of surname Wills The surname takes many forms Will, Wills, Willis to name but a few. This surname was profanely derived from William i.e. son of Will. The surname Wills is common in England while the form Will is predominately Scottish. The roots of my Wills Family Tree in Montrose While researching my family tree I found the surname spelt Will and Wills. It must be remembered that spelling did not really matter and a name was written as it was sounded. I have traced my family name back to the year 1769 the approximate birth date of a Robert Will(s). Although his name is recorded, as Will his children are all named Wills. This family originated in the Montrose, County of Angus before splitting up and living in Coupar Angus, Dundee and Edinburgh. Other lines of the family moved west to Glasgow. In 1906 all the Edinburgh family, who were at this time residing in London but with the exception of my grandfather, emigrated to America and settled in Michigan. My grandfather who at the time was still staying in London moved back to Edinburgh to be married. He remained in Edinburgh until his death in 1957. His family at that time all stayed in Scotland. My family tree and a valuable source indexing the Wills family, births, marriages and deaths are recorded at the Web site of my second cousin David Wills from California. During my research I have gathered some interesting information relating to family names. As I have established that this information forms no part of my family history I thought it might be of assistance to anyone researching their family history. This source information relates to the following names: Will & Wills, Dey, Christell and Runciman. I have also found references to the Wills family name in Jacobite papers and have reproduced them on this site. For those interested in a mystery there is a link to the author R. L. Stevenson through the Christell family. Robert Will(s) (b 1769) married Elizabeth Anderson on 27 Sept 1789 at Montrose. Children: James Wills, (b1790 at Montrose), Jean Will(s), (b 1792 at Montrose), Elizabeth Wills, (b 1794 at Montrose) John Wills, (b 1796 at Montrose), Elizabeth Wills, (b 1797 at Montrose), Mary Wills, (b 1800 at Montrose) Margaret Wills, (b 1802 at Montrose), Janet Wills, (b 1804 at Montrose), Robert Wills, (b 1807 at Montrose), Helen Wills, (b 1808 at Montrose), David Wills, (b 1809 at Montrose) Family of John Wills John Wills, (1796 - 1887) married Mary Masterton on 28 Nov 1830 at Montrose Children: David Crombie Wills, (b 1832), Mary Wills, (b 1835 at Montrose), Elizabeth Wills, (b 1837 at Montrose), Jessie Wills, (b 1840 at Montrose), Robert Wills, (b 1842 at Montrose), James Wills, (b 1844 at Montrose), Jane Wills, (b 1846 at Montrose), John Wills, (b 1848 at Montrose), George Wills, (b 1851 at Montrose) Family of David Crombie Wills, (Town Clerk of Montrose) David Crombie Wills, (1832 - 1912) married Anne Manson on 26 July 1859 at Edinburgh Children: Jane Wills, (1860 at Montrose), George Manson Wills, (b 1862), Annie Maxwell Wills, (b 1864 at Montrose, John James Wills, (b 1864 at Montrose), Robert Anderson Wills, (b 1865 at Montrose), David Wills, (b 1868 at Montrose), Jane Wills, (b 1871 at Montrose), Lizzy Youden Wills, (b 1878 at Montrose), Lousia Lawrence Wills, (b 1880 at Montrose) The female line has not been researched. The male line, with the exception of George Manson Wills, never married and all died prematurely. George Manson Wills married Isabella Rollo Gauld on 17 Dec 1918 at Bridge of Allan, at the age of 52 years. There were no children of this marriage. He died on 3 Feb 1945 at Westwood, Newmanswalls, Montrose. The family of David Crombie Wills are buried in the family plot, Rosehill Cemetery, Montrose. Family of George Wills Parents John Wills and Mary Masterton George Wills, (b 1851) married Anne Darby on 20 March 1875 at Calcutta. They had a son David Frank Darby Wills who was born on 11 January 1880 at 63 Baltic Street, Montrose. George Wills was an indigo trader. Ann Darby returned to Montrose for the birth of her child. I have not been able ascertain if the family returned to Calcutta. My line is from Robert Wills, (1807) who married Elizabeth Anderson. This line is well documented in the database of my second cousin Wills family database. David Wills.