NameCensus.

UK surname

Whitehouse

A locational surname referring to someone who lived in or near a white-colored house.

In the 1881 census there were 7,785 people recorded with the Whitehouse surname, ranking it #543 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 12,262, ranked #534, up from #543 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sedgley, Tipton otherwise Tibington and Dudley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sandwell.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Whitehouse is 12,972 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 57.5%.

1881 census count

7,785

Ranked #543

Modern count

12,262

2016, ranked #534

Peak year

1999

12,972 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Whitehouse had 7,785 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #543 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 12,262 in 2016, ranked #534.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 11,111 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Whitehouse surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Whitehouse surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Whitehouse 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 4,407 #641
1861 historical 4,631 #617
1881 historical 7,785 #543
1891 historical 8,432 #523
1901 historical 10,065 #519
1911 historical 11,111 #438
1997 modern 12,281 #501
1998 modern 12,856 #496
1999 modern 12,972 #495
2000 modern 12,860 #495
2001 modern 12,551 #494
2002 modern 12,798 #499
2003 modern 12,554 #493
2004 modern 12,517 #497
2005 modern 12,285 #498
2006 modern 12,261 #501
2007 modern 12,240 #510
2008 modern 12,243 #513
2009 modern 12,464 #515
2010 modern 12,599 #523
2011 modern 12,538 #516
2012 modern 12,264 #521
2013 modern 12,512 #522
2014 modern 12,582 #522
2015 modern 12,368 #532
2016 modern 12,262 #534

Geography

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Where Whitehouses are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sedgley, Tipton otherwise Tibington, Dudley, Birmingham Town: Birmingham and Birmingham Town: Aston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sandwell. 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 Sedgley Staffordshire
2 Tipton otherwise Tibington Staffordshire
3 Dudley Staffordshire
4 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire
5 Birmingham Town: Aston Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sandwell 015 Sandwell
2 Sandwell 014 Sandwell
3 Sandwell 016 Sandwell
4 Sandwell 010 Sandwell
5 Sandwell 013 Sandwell

Forenames

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First names often paired with Whitehouse

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Whitehouse

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Whitehouse, 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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Whitehouse surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Whitehouse household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Whitehouse is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Whitehouse is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Whitehouse falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Whitehouse is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Whitehouse

The surname Whitehouse has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from a place name referring to a dwelling of particular significance, such as a manor house or a religious house painted white. The name is believed to have emerged in the 13th or 14th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex, dated 1296, which mention a Robert de Whitehous. Another early reference is in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273, where a William de la Whytehuse is listed. These examples suggest that the name may have originally been spelled with variations such as Whitehous or Whytehuse.

In the 15th century, the name appears in various records across England, including the Patent Rolls of 1441, which mention a John Whitehous. The Whitehouse surname is also found in the Hearth Tax Rolls of Yorkshire from the late 17th century, indicating its presence in that region.

Notable individuals with the surname Whitehouse include William Whitehouse (1635-1696), an English clergyman and author who wrote a work titled "The Protestant Reconciler." Another prominent figure was Sir John Whitehouse (1786-1855), a British naval officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and later became a Member of Parliament.

In the 19th century, Charles Whitehouse (1833-1891) was a renowned English architect and surveyor, best known for his work on the restoration of Chester Cathedral. Additionally, Walter Whitehouse (1874-1957) was a British businessman and philanthropist who founded the Whitehouse Trust, a charitable organization.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Whitehouse surname in America dates back to the 17th century, with the arrival of Thomas Whitehouse, who settled in Massachusetts in 1638. Over time, the name spread across various regions of the United States.

While the Whitehouse surname is predominantly English in origin, it has also been adopted by families in other parts of the British Isles and beyond, reflecting the movement and settlement patterns of different populations throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Whitehouse families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Whitehouse 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. Staffordshire leads with 3,577 Whitehouses recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.94x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 3,577 13.94x
Warwickshire 1,108 5.78x
Worcestershire 822 8.28x
Yorkshire 475 0.63x
Middlesex 312 0.41x
Lancashire 295 0.33x
Derbyshire 141 1.19x
Surrey 108 0.29x
Nottinghamshire 80 0.78x
Durham 79 0.35x
Lanarkshire 77 0.31x
Kent 71 0.27x
Cheshire 65 0.39x
Northamptonshire 47 0.66x
Leicestershire 46 0.55x
Sussex 43 0.34x
Essex 41 0.27x
Shropshire 38 0.58x
Gloucestershire 29 0.19x
Hampshire 29 0.19x
Hertfordshire 28 0.53x
Lincolnshire 27 0.22x
Glamorgan 26 0.20x
Monmouthshire 20 0.36x
Berkshire 18 0.32x
Buckinghamshire 18 0.39x
Cumberland 17 0.26x
Cornwall 15 0.17x
Herefordshire 15 0.48x
Denbighshire 14 0.49x
Bedfordshire 13 0.33x
Northumberland 12 0.11x
Renfrewshire 12 0.20x
Flintshire 10 0.49x
Rutland 10 1.79x
Devon 7 0.04x
Montgomeryshire 7 0.40x
Suffolk 7 0.08x
Wiltshire 6 0.09x
Somerset 5 0.04x
Oxfordshire 4 0.09x
Pembrokeshire 4 0.17x
Ayrshire 2 0.04x
Dorset 2 0.04x
Midlothian 2 0.02x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.02x
Norfolk 1 0.01x
Perthshire 1 0.03x
Royal Navy 1 0.11x
Westmorland 1 0.06x
Wigtownshire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. West Bromwich in Staffordshire leads with 715 Whitehouses recorded in 1881 and an index of 48.69x.

Place Total Index
West Bromwich 715 48.69x
Tipton 616 78.43x
Aston 496 9.40x
Birmingham 410 6.42x
Sedgley 297 31.17x
Dudley 251 20.81x
Wolverhampton 244 12.37x
Walsall Foreign 188 14.19x
Oldbury 140 28.67x
Cheslyn Hay 137 292.61x
Kingswinford 119 12.78x
Harborne 115 13.99x
Wednesbury 111 17.32x
Willenhall 106 22.06x
Rowley Regis 105 14.69x
Darlaston 101 28.49x
Cannock 88 19.66x
Wednesfield 84 22.25x
Stoke Upon Trent 71 2.61x
Handsworth 63 9.96x
Islington London 62 0.84x
Kings Norton 60 6.74x
Barrow In Furness 52 4.24x
Warrington 46 4.30x
Stourbridge 42 16.45x
Bilston 36 7.24x
Kidderminster Borough 36 6.20x
St Pancras London 34 0.56x
Clerkenwell London 33 1.84x
Pelsall 33 43.27x
Edgbaston 31 5.22x
Hamilton 31 4.52x
Manchester 30 0.74x
Battersea 26 0.93x
Great Wyrley 26 93.32x
Upperswinford 26 30.96x
Warwick St Mary 26 15.63x
Brighton 25 0.97x
Bromsgrove 25 7.49x
Leeds 25 0.59x
Alfreton 24 6.64x
Denaby 23 54.02x
Lambeth 23 0.35x
Burntwood Edial 21 12.82x
Greenwich 21 1.74x
Bolehall Glascote 20 24.64x
Newcastle Under Lyme 20 4.41x
Northfield 20 10.62x
Nottingham St Mary 20 0.75x
Studley 20 24.41x
Kensington London 18 0.43x
Wollaston 18 28.59x
Wolstanton 18 2.31x
Amblecote 17 23.25x
Bethnal Green London 17 0.52x
Brewood 17 22.99x
Bury 17 1.65x
Hunslet 17 1.45x
Ormesby 17 8.40x
Radford 17 3.27x
Sheffield 17 0.71x
Walsall Borough 17 8.54x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 16 6.21x
Brightside Bierlow 16 1.08x
Claines 16 5.87x
West Ham 16 0.48x
Bushbury 15 32.56x
Dalziel 15 5.67x
Darlington 15 1.72x
Ecclesfield 15 2.72x
Merthyr Tydfil 15 1.18x
Northampton St Peter 15 34.53x
Shoreditch London 15 0.46x
St Luke London 15 1.23x
The Hill 15 23.54x
Warley Wigorn 15 47.42x
Boston 14 3.80x
Bradford 14 0.77x
Cakemore 14 86.00x
Kidderminster Foreign 14 9.98x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 498
Sarah 399
Elizabeth 278
Ann 149
Eliza 139
Hannah 137
Jane 117
Emma 110
Alice 107
Ellen 93
Annie 84
Emily 74
Clara 60
Florence 59
Louisa 57
Harriet 54
Fanny 50
Martha 48
Caroline 47
Maria 47
Ada 43
Charlotte 41
Phoebe 41
Edith 36
Esther 36
Anne 34
Catherine 30
Margaret 30
Rebecca 29
Kate 28
Lucy 24
Amelia 21
Harriett 21
Lizzie 21
Agnes 20
Susan 20
Minnie 19
Gertrude 18
Lydia 17
Matilda 17
Rachel 17
Rose 17
Amy 16
Julia 16
Sophia 16
Frances 14
Betsy 11
Ethel 11
Maud 11
Selina 11

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 478
John 426
Joseph 277
Thomas 267
James 221
George 201
Samuel 153
Henry 146
Charles 106
Edward 101
Arthur 81
Alfred 65
Daniel 60
Isaac 56
Albert 53
Benjamin 53
Richard 50
Frederick 49
Harry 42
David 39
Walter 39
Abraham 35
Frank 32
Edwin 29
Ernest 27
Francis 22
Wm. 22
Robert 21
Stephen 19
Thos. 19
Enoch 18
Herbert 17
Job 16
Elijah 11
Isaiah 11
Saml. 11
Eli 10
Jacob 10
Jno. 10
Josiah 10
Fred 9
Geo. 9
Cornelius 8
Emanuel 8
Moses 8
Philip 8
Reuben 8
Percy 7
Richd. 7
Tom 7

FAQ

Whitehouse surname: questions and answers

How common was the Whitehouse surname in 1881?

In 1881, 7,785 people were recorded with the Whitehouse surname. That placed it at #543 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Whitehouse surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 12,262 in 2016. That gives Whitehouse a modern rank of #534.

What does the Whitehouse surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone who lived in or near a white-colored house.

What does the Whitehouse map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Whitehouse 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.