NameCensus.

UK surname

Applewhite

A surname derived from a place where apple trees were cultivated or a person who sold apples.

In the 1881 census there were 135 people recorded with the Applewhite surname, ranking it #16,515 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 185, ranked #20,652, down from #16,515 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lincoln St Botolph, Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Kesteven, South Kesteven and Newark and Sherwood.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Applewhite is 219 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.0%.

1881 census count

135

Ranked #16,515

Modern count

185

2016, ranked #20,652

Peak year

1911

219 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Applewhite had 135 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,515 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 185 in 2016, ranked #20,652.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 219 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Applewhite surname distribution map

The map shows where the Applewhite surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Applewhite surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Applewhite over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 53 #23,739
1861 historical 50 #27,636
1881 historical 135 #16,515
1891 historical 151 #18,242
1901 historical 176 #16,401
1911 historical 219 #14,136
1997 modern 199 #17,668
1998 modern 189 #18,737
1999 modern 194 #18,579
2000 modern 194 #18,554
2001 modern 192 #18,388
2002 modern 188 #19,012
2003 modern 178 #19,489
2004 modern 183 #19,251
2005 modern 179 #19,467
2006 modern 187 #19,079
2007 modern 187 #19,271
2008 modern 185 #19,589
2009 modern 190 #19,656
2010 modern 196 #19,698
2011 modern 196 #19,538
2012 modern 189 #19,949
2013 modern 193 #19,997
2014 modern 192 #20,230
2015 modern 192 #20,138
2016 modern 185 #20,652

Geography

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Where Applewhites are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lincoln St Botolph, Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton, Manchester, Branston and Washingborough. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Kesteven, South Kesteven, Newark and Sherwood and Lincoln. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Lincoln St Botolph Lincolnshire
2 Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton Nottinghamshire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Branston Lincolnshire
5 Washingborough Lincolnshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Kesteven 001 North Kesteven
2 South Kesteven 001 South Kesteven
3 Newark and Sherwood 003 Newark and Sherwood
4 North Kesteven 005 North Kesteven
5 Lincoln 001 Lincoln

Forenames

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First names often paired with Applewhite

These lists show first names that appear often with the Applewhite surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Applewhite

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Applewhite, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Applewhite surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Applewhite household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Applewhite is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Applewhite is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Applewhite falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Applewhite is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Applewhite, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Applewhite

The surname Applewhite originated in England during the late medieval period. It is a locative name, derived from a place name referring to a geographical location where apples were grown or an apple orchard existed. The first recorded spelling of the name dates back to the 14th century in the county of Hertfordshire.

The name is believed to have evolved from the Old English words "æppel" meaning apple and "hwit" meaning white, potentially referring to the color of the fruit or the appearance of the apple trees. Early variations of the spelling included Appulwhite, Apulwhite, and Appleqwhyte.

In the Domesday Book, a survey of land ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, there is a reference to a land holding in Hertfordshire called "Aeppeluuihte," which is thought to be the earliest recorded mention of the name's place of origin.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname Applewhite was John Applewhite, born in 1532 in the village of Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire. He was a farmer and landowner who played a role in the local community.

Another notable figure was Sir Thomas Applewhite (1602-1679), a wealthy merchant and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Hertford in the 17th century.

In the 18th century, the Applewhite family had a presence in the county of Suffolk, where Robert Applewhite (1712-1786) was a prominent landowner and local magistrate.

During the Victorian era, the name gained recognition through the achievements of Charles Applewhite (1818-1892), a renowned architect who designed several prominent buildings in London, including the Royal Opera House.

Another influential figure was Mary Applewhite (1846-1924), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights, who founded one of the first schools for girls in the city of Manchester.

Throughout its history, the surname Applewhite has been associated with various professions and social classes, from farmers and merchants to politicians and professionals, reflecting the diverse backgrounds of those who bore this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Applewhite families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Applewhite surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lincolnshire leads with 99 Applewhites recorded in 1881 and an index of 47.03x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 99 47.03x
Yorkshire 12 0.92x
Nottinghamshire 11 6.20x
Essex 9 3.46x
Derbyshire 3 1.46x
Middlesex 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Washingborough in Lincolnshire leads with 30 Applewhites recorded in 1881 and an index of 9090.91x.

Place Total Index
Washingborough 30 9090.91x
North Carlton 10 14285.71x
Branston 9 1406.25x
Newark Upon Trent 8 125.39x
Bucknall 7 4666.67x
West Ham 7 12.20x
Aubourn 6 6000.00x
Bardney 6 952.38x
Brightside Bierlow 6 23.45x
Nocton 6 2142.86x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 5 41.15x
Fiskerton 5 2500.00x
Ingham 4 1481.48x
Dunholme 3 1666.67x
Staveley 3 81.97x
Saxelby With Ingleby 2 370.37x
Thorpe On The Hill 2 1538.46x
Walthamstow 2 21.39x
Bromley London 1 3.45x
Bulwell 1 25.91x
Hardwick 1 2500.00x
Harpswell 1 1666.67x
Martin In Sleaford 1 270.27x
Metheringham 1 119.05x
Nottingham St Mary 1 2.18x
Rawdon 1 64.94x
Snitterby 1 833.33x
South Clifton 1 833.33x
St Mary Magdalen Lincoln 1 357.14x
St Nicholas Lincoln 1 49.75x
Tetney 1 277.78x
Waddingham 1 312.50x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Applewhite surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 8
Sarah 7
Elizabeth 5
Annie 4
Harriet 3
Jane 3
Ann 2
Fanny 2
Lucy 2
Martha 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Betsey 1
Betsy 1
Clara 1
Eliz. 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Eva 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Louisa 1
Milicent 1
Minnie 1
Phebe 1
Thirza 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Applewhite surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
George 13
William 12
John 10
Charles 5
James 3
Thomas 3
Allison 2
Arthur 2
Christopher 2
Edward 2
Frederic 2
Joseph 2
Robert 2
Walter 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Authur 1
David 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fred. 1
Frederick 1
Harry 1
Heber 1
Horatio 1
Infant 1
Jonathon 1
Kinnington 1
Tom 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Applewhite surname: questions and answers

How common was the Applewhite surname in 1881?

In 1881, 135 people were recorded with the Applewhite surname. That placed it at #16,515 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Applewhite surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 185 in 2016. That gives Applewhite a modern rank of #20,652.

What does the Applewhite surname mean?

A surname derived from a place where apple trees were cultivated or a person who sold apples.

What does the Applewhite map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Applewhite bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.