NameCensus.

UK surname

Whitson

An English occupational surname referring to the son of a white-haired or fair-haired man.

In the 1881 census there were 467 people recorded with the Whitson surname, ranking it #7,122 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 471, ranked #10,456, down from #7,122 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Haddington, Govan Combination and East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hyvots and Gilmerton, Corstorphine and IZ11.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Whitson is 504 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.9%.

1881 census count

467

Ranked #7,122

Modern count

471

2016, ranked #10,456

Peak year

1999

504 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Whitson had 467 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,122 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 471 in 2016, ranked #10,456.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 484 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Whitson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Whitson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Whitson 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 296 #7,723
1861 historical 424 #6,061
1881 historical 467 #7,122
1891 historical 484 #7,621
1901 historical 475 #8,373
1911 historical 118 #20,649
1997 modern 471 #9,732
1998 modern 481 #9,893
1999 modern 504 #9,606
2000 modern 494 #9,717
2001 modern 458 #10,098
2002 modern 482 #9,906
2003 modern 462 #10,045
2004 modern 469 #9,983
2005 modern 476 #9,783
2006 modern 468 #9,952
2007 modern 458 #10,190
2008 modern 467 #10,146
2009 modern 481 #10,148
2010 modern 491 #10,192
2011 modern 466 #10,495
2012 modern 455 #10,574
2013 modern 466 #10,556
2014 modern 477 #10,444
2015 modern 471 #10,467
2016 modern 471 #10,456

Geography

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Where Whitsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Haddington, Govan Combination, East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H, Edinburgh and Bedwelty. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hyvots and Gilmerton, Corstorphine, IZ11, IZ14 and Bonnyrigg North. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Haddington Haddington
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H Gloucestershire
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Bedwelty Monmouthshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hyvots and Gilmerton City of Edinburgh
2 Corstorphine City of Edinburgh
3 IZ11 East Lothian
4 IZ14 East Lothian
5 Bonnyrigg North Midlothian

Forenames

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First names often paired with Whitson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Whitson

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Whitson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Whitson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Whitson is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Whitson is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Whitson 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 Whitson 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 Whitson, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Whitson

The surname Whitson has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English words "hwit" meaning white and "tun" meaning an enclosure or settlement, suggesting that it was originally a locational name for someone living in a white-colored town or village.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Whitson can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275, where it appears as "William de Whittone." This spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time.

In the 14th century, the name Whitson appeared in various historical records, including the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379, where it was spelled "Whitton." This suggests that the name was present in different regions of England during this period.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England compiled in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Whitson. However, it does mention several placenames that may have contributed to the formation of the surname, such as "Wittun" in Derbyshire and "Witton" in Northamptonshire.

Notable individuals with the surname Whitson throughout history include:

1. John Whitson (c. 1557 - 1629), an English clergyman and writer who served as the Bishop of Winchester from 1599 until his death.

2. Richard Whitson (1573 - 1647), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Bath in the early 17th century.

3. Mary Whitson (1633 - 1712), an English Quaker who was persecuted for her religious beliefs and spent time in prison during the late 17th century.

4. William Whitson (1796 - 1876), a Scottish poet and songwriter best known for his works in the Scots language.

5. Thomas Whitson (1846 - 1921), a British engineer and inventor who patented several innovations in the field of steam engine design.

The surname Whitson has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Whitson in Derbyshire, Whitston in Herefordshire, and Whitston in Shropshire. These place names likely contributed to the spread and variations of the surname over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Whitson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Whitson 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. Midlothian leads with 141 Whitsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.04x.

County Total Index
Midlothian 141 25.04x
Lanarkshire 56 4.12x
Roxburghshire 32 42.02x
Gloucestershire 29 3.52x
Peeblesshire 27 136.57x
Monmouthshire 24 7.90x
East Lothian 20 35.91x
Fife 17 6.83x
Angus 16 4.11x
Middlesex 9 0.21x
Dumfriesshire 7 7.54x
Lancashire 7 0.14x
Surrey 6 0.29x
Hampshire 5 0.58x
Lincolnshire 5 0.74x
Northumberland 5 0.80x
Renfrewshire 5 1.53x
Berwickshire 3 5.89x
Perthshire 3 1.59x
Selkirkshire 3 7.89x
Somerset 3 0.44x
Brecknockshire 1 1.19x
Cumberland 1 0.28x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.89x
Durham 1 0.08x
Huntingdonshire 1 1.20x
Royal Navy 1 2.00x
West Lothian 1 1.58x
Yorkshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 41 Whitsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.92x.

Place Total Index
Barony 41 11.92x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 39 17.21x
Innerleithen 27 514.29x
Maxton 18 2727.27x
Bedwellty 17 31.68x
Westbury On Severn East 13 69.74x
Dalkeith 12 108.01x
Newbattle 12 249.48x
Duddingston 11 97.26x
Dunbar 11 140.85x
Lasswade 11 85.40x
Leslie 9 142.86x
Melrose 9 136.78x
Carstairs 8 283.69x
Haddington 8 97.32x
Brechin 7 45.72x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 7 9.02x
Crichton 7 445.86x
Edinburgh New North 7 142.86x
Liberton 7 80.55x
North Leith 7 26.86x
South Leith 7 11.04x
Aberystruth 6 22.40x
Edinburgh St Andrews 6 129.03x
Aldershot 5 17.32x
Eckford 5 378.79x
Govan 5 1.49x
Inveresk 5 32.79x
Longbenton 5 18.88x
Penicuik 5 65.36x
Ruthwell 5 400.00x
St George In East 5 17.48x
West Greenock 5 8.55x
Whaplode Drove 5 442.48x
Forfar 4 18.97x
St Andrews 4 35.34x
Cheetham 3 8.06x
Coupar Angus 3 81.30x
Kilrenny 3 65.22x
Lambeth 3 0.82x
Selkirk 3 27.99x
Westbury On Severn 3 91.74x
Alyth 2 39.37x
Bedminster 2 3.15x
Dundee 2 1.38x
Dunse 2 41.41x
Edinburgh St Marys 2 18.26x
Everton 2 1.26x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 2 13.25x
Hampstead London 2 3.05x
Richmond 2 6.97x
Stow 2 68.97x
Withington 2 12.45x
Biggar 1 32.57x
Birdsall 1 217.39x
Boness 1 11.45x
Bristol St Augustine 1 7.51x
Cummertrees 1 63.69x
Cupar 1 9.24x
Dirleton 1 45.66x
Dornock 1 85.47x
Glasgow 1 0.41x
Gloucester St John Baptist 1 18.80x
Kensington London 1 0.43x
Lauder 1 35.59x
Llanelly 1 9.94x
Low Bolton 1 108.70x
Mitcheldean 1 98.04x
Moulin 1 33.56x
Newport 1 6.90x
Row 1 6.84x
South Hamlet 1 19.61x
St Ives 1 23.09x
St Luke London 1 1.48x
Stockton On Tees 1 1.66x
Temple 1 44.64x
Wandsworth 1 2.47x
Westonsuper Mare 1 72.46x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Elizabeth 4
Anne 3
Ellen 3
Jane 3
Emma 2
Hannah 2
Harriet 2
A. 1
Alice 1
Allace 1
Amelia 1
Annie 1
Barbain 1
E. 1
Elenor 1
Eliza 1
Elzth. 1
Emily 1
Esther 1
Florance 1
Florence 1
Francis 1
Harriett 1
Jessie 1
Katherin 1
Lea 1
Lucy 1
Maria 1
Rhoda 1
Rosetta 1
Rosey 1
Rossanna 1
Tabithea 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 7
James 5
George 4
Alexander 3
John 3
Benjamin 2
Ernest 2
Henry 2
Herbert 2
Robert 2
Thomas 2
Arthur 1
Charles 1
Emanual 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Harry 1
Manuel 1
Richard 1
Wm. 1
Wm.Henry 1

FAQ

Whitson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Whitson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 467 people were recorded with the Whitson surname. That placed it at #7,122 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Whitson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 471 in 2016. That gives Whitson a modern rank of #10,456.

What does the Whitson surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to the son of a white-haired or fair-haired man.

What does the Whitson map show?

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