NameCensus.

UK surname

Whitman

An English occupational surname referring to a white-haired or fair-haired man, or a dweller on a white island.

In the 1881 census there were 603 people recorded with the Whitman surname, ranking it #5,808 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 720, ranked #7,543, down from #5,808 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Cerney, South and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Suffolk Coastal, Cornwall and Spelthorne.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Whitman is 849 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 19.4%.

1881 census count

603

Ranked #5,808

Modern count

720

2016, ranked #7,543

Peak year

1911

849 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Whitman had 603 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,808 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 720 in 2016, ranked #7,543.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 849 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Whitman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Whitman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Whitman 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 369 #6,443
1861 historical 508 #5,149
1881 historical 603 #5,808
1891 historical 759 #5,250
1901 historical 752 #5,930
1911 historical 849 #5,229
1997 modern 778 #6,686
1998 modern 815 #6,660
1999 modern 822 #6,654
2000 modern 796 #6,803
2001 modern 747 #7,006
2002 modern 751 #7,100
2003 modern 710 #7,296
2004 modern 722 #7,213
2005 modern 718 #7,177
2006 modern 734 #7,105
2007 modern 740 #7,134
2008 modern 724 #7,295
2009 modern 733 #7,372
2010 modern 745 #7,415
2011 modern 731 #7,459
2012 modern 705 #7,562
2013 modern 727 #7,521
2014 modern 734 #7,509
2015 modern 718 #7,573
2016 modern 720 #7,543

Geography

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Where Whitmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Cerney, South, St Pancras and Ipswich St Mary Stoke. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Suffolk Coastal, Cornwall, Spelthorne, Basingstoke and Deane and Runnymede. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Cerney, South Gloucestershire
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Ipswich St Mary Stoke Suffolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Suffolk Coastal 014 Suffolk Coastal
2 Cornwall 049 Cornwall
3 Spelthorne 013 Spelthorne
4 Basingstoke and Deane 004 Basingstoke and Deane
5 Runnymede 010 Runnymede

Forenames

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First names often paired with Whitman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Whitman

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Whitman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Whitman household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Whitman is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Whitman is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Whitman falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Whitman 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 Whitman, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Whitman

The surname Whitman has its origins in England, emerging in the early medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "hwit" (white) and "man" (person), suggesting it may have originally referred to a person with fair hair or complexion.

The earliest known recorded instance of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled "Witteman." This comprehensive survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror provides invaluable insight into the distribution of surnames across England during the late 11th century.

By the 13th century, the name had evolved to its more modern spelling of "Whitman," as evidenced by records from the Pipe Rolls of Nottinghamshire in 1275, which mention a "Thomas Whitman." Throughout the Middle Ages, the surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, and Derbyshire.

One notable early bearer of the name was Walter Whitman, a 14th-century English landowner and Member of Parliament for Nottinghamshire in 1388. His family's holdings were centered around the village of Whitman's Norton, now known as Norton Disney, which likely derived its name from the Whitman family.

In the 16th century, the renowned English poet and courtier Sir John Whitman (1530-1596) gained prominence during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. His poetic works, including "The Whitman Sonnets," were widely celebrated and helped to further establish the Whitman name in literary circles.

Moving into the 17th century, a notable figure was George Whitman (1638-1723), an English Puritan minister who emigrated to Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1662. He served as the pastor of the First Church of Christ in Milford, Connecticut, and was a vocal advocate for religious freedom.

Perhaps the most famous bearer of the Whitman surname was the renowned American poet Walt Whitman (1819-1892). Born on Long Island, New York, his seminal work "Leaves of Grass" is considered a landmark in American literature, celebrating themes of democracy, individualism, and the natural world.

Another significant Whitman was Marcus Whitman (1802-1847), an American missionary and pioneer who played a pivotal role in establishing the Oregon Trail and promoting westward expansion in the United States. His efforts helped pave the way for the eventual settlement of the Pacific Northwest region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Whitman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Whitman 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. Middlesex leads with 112 Whitmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.90x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 112 1.90x
Surrey 62 2.16x
Essex 51 4.38x
Gloucestershire 51 4.41x
Buckinghamshire 37 10.37x
Yorkshire 32 0.55x
Suffolk 31 4.31x
Bedfordshire 29 9.49x
Lancashire 27 0.39x
Berkshire 20 4.51x
Hertfordshire 15 3.69x
Hampshire 14 1.16x
Northamptonshire 14 2.52x
Derbyshire 13 1.41x
Oxfordshire 13 3.57x
Sussex 11 1.11x
Kent 10 0.50x
Wiltshire 8 1.53x
Somerset 7 0.74x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.75x
Staffordshire 6 0.30x
Durham 5 0.28x
Cambridgeshire 4 1.07x
Midlothian 4 0.51x
Warwickshire 4 0.27x
Caernarfonshire 3 1.26x
Herefordshire 3 1.24x
Norfolk 3 0.33x
Northumberland 3 0.34x
Leicestershire 2 0.31x
Cheshire 1 0.08x
Glamorgan 1 0.10x
Royal Navy 1 1.42x
West Lothian 1 1.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. South Cerney in Gloucestershire leads with 31 Whitmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 1631.58x.

Place Total Index
South Cerney 31 1631.58x
St Pancras London 24 5.05x
Preston 16 8.54x
West Ham 15 5.83x
Lambeth 14 2.72x
Kensington London 13 3.96x
Edlesborough 12 369.23x
Cowley 11 96.66x
Ivinghoe 11 394.27x
Litchurch 11 29.59x
St Martin In Fields 10 28.30x
Studham 10 595.24x
Camberwell 9 2.39x
Hawnes 9 476.19x
Ipswich St Helen 8 93.90x
Leyton Low 8 33.78x
North Cave Drewton 8 347.83x
Swindon 8 19.76x
Chapel 7 972.22x
Clewer 7 38.57x
Hackney London 7 2.12x
Northwood 7 40.63x
Shepperton 7 269.23x
Walton 7 272.37x
Wing 7 211.48x
Winkfield 7 95.24x
Barnack 6 508.47x
Beddington 6 53.96x
Bushey 6 61.98x
Deptford St Paul 6 3.86x
Ealing 6 11.38x
Hammersmith London 6 4.13x
Islington London 6 1.05x
Linslade 6 171.92x
Southwark St George Martyr 6 5.05x
Tuddenham St Martin 6 833.33x
Watford 6 19.02x
Worth 6 83.10x
Bedminster 5 5.60x
Bradwell 5 250.00x
Bramley In Bramley 5 22.33x
Chelsea London 5 2.81x
Great Chesterford 5 271.74x
Handsworth 5 10.18x
New Brentford 5 160.77x
Paglesham 5 480.77x
South Hamlet 5 69.83x
Willington 5 49.31x
Aspley Guise 4 136.52x
Battersea 4 1.84x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 4 1.26x
Foulmire 4 360.36x
Hove 4 9.16x
Layton With Warbreck 4 15.56x
Meltham 4 44.00x
Paddington London 4 1.84x
Portsmouth 4 14.36x
Putney 4 14.87x
Radford 4 9.90x
Aston 3 0.73x
Bangor 3 13.04x
Belstead 3 468.75x
Clifton 3 5.13x
Doncaster 3 7.02x
East Farndon 3 666.67x
Golcar 3 19.40x
Hemel Hempstead 3 16.37x
Ipswich St Clement 3 16.42x
Ipswich St Mathew 3 14.90x
Leighton Buzzard 3 22.83x
Mitcham 3 16.51x
Reading St Mary 3 8.46x
Richmond 3 7.45x
Southwark St Saviour 3 9.89x
Steppingley 3 476.19x
Toxteth Park 3 1.27x
Tweedmouth 3 27.40x
Wellington 3 241.94x
Westminster St John 3 4.17x
Worplesdon 2 57.64x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 35
Elizabeth 24
Ann 16
Sarah 16
Eliza 13
Ellen 10
Louisa 10
Emma 9
Alice 8
Emily 8
Jane 8
Caroline 5
Annie 4
Clara 4
Fanny 4
Frances 4
Hannah 4
Harriet 4
Martha 4
Ada 3
Agnes 3
Anne 3
Catherine 3
Florence 3
Kate 3
Lousia 3
Lucy 3
Maude 3
Minnie 3
Rosina 3
Anny 2
Eleanor 2
Janet 2
Maria 2
Rebecca 2
Rose 2
Susan 2
Susannah 2
Amelia 1
Arthur 1
Augusta 1
Diana 1
Dora 1
Dorcas 1
Edith 1
Elizebeth 1
Helena 1
Henrietta 1
Hezekiah 1
Zena 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 39
John 31
George 22
Henry 17
Charles 14
James 14
Thomas 14
Joseph 12
Frederick 10
David 9
Samuel 8
Alfred 7
Arthur 7
Edward 7
Robert 7
Ernest 5
Richard 5
Walter 5
Albert 4
Edwin 4
Harry 4
Adolphus 2
Fredrick 2
Horace 2
Hubert 2
Humphrey 2
Jonah 2
Joshua 2
Noah 2
Peter 2
Wm. 2
Atkinson 1
Caleb 1
Caraday 1
Cecil 1
Claude 1
Daniel 1
Elijah 1
Enoch 1
Festus 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fredk.C. 1
Jane 1
Japheth 1
Jas. 1
Jasper 1
Johm 1
Llewellyn 1
Wm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Whitman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Whitman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 603 people were recorded with the Whitman surname. That placed it at #5,808 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Whitman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 720 in 2016. That gives Whitman a modern rank of #7,543.

What does the Whitman surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a white-haired or fair-haired man, or a dweller on a white island.

What does the Whitman map show?

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