NameCensus.

UK surname

Whittemore

A habitational surname derived from any of several places in England meaning "white pond" or "white marsh."

In the 1881 census there were 126 people recorded with the Whittemore surname, ranking it #17,245 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 262, ranked #16,256, up from #17,245 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wilshampstead, Bedford St Mary and Bedford St Paul. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wellingborough, Amber Valley and Derby.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Whittemore is 323 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 107.9%.

1881 census count

126

Ranked #17,245

Modern count

262

2016, ranked #16,256

Peak year

1911

323 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Whittemore had 126 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,245 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 262 in 2016, ranked #16,256.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 323 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Whittemore surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Whittemore surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Whittemore 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 59 #22,756
1861 historical 47 #28,023
1881 historical 126 #17,245
1891 historical 166 #17,077
1901 historical 215 #14,478
1911 historical 323 #10,842
1997 modern 253 #15,152
1998 modern 263 #15,161
1999 modern 276 #14,762
2000 modern 284 #14,457
2001 modern 278 #14,444
2002 modern 289 #14,341
2003 modern 263 #15,109
2004 modern 256 #15,453
2005 modern 246 #15,802
2006 modern 257 #15,448
2007 modern 259 #15,519
2008 modern 255 #15,859
2009 modern 262 #15,888
2010 modern 262 #16,252
2011 modern 269 #15,800
2012 modern 252 #16,424
2013 modern 261 #16,309
2014 modern 259 #16,509
2015 modern 258 #16,443
2016 modern 262 #16,256

Geography

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Where Whittemores are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wilshampstead, Bedford St Mary, Bedford St Paul, Cardington and Alfreton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wellingborough, Amber Valley, Derby and Luton. 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 Wilshampstead Bedfordshire
2 Bedford St Mary Bedfordshire
3 Bedford St Paul Bedfordshire
4 Cardington Bedfordshire
5 Alfreton Derbyshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wellingborough 005 Wellingborough
2 Wellingborough 008 Wellingborough
3 Amber Valley 005 Amber Valley
4 Derby 026 Derby
5 Luton 016 Luton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Whittemore

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Whittemore

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Whittemore, 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 Whittemore surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Whittemore 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, Whittemore 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

Whittemore is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Whittemore falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Whittemore is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Whittemore

The surname Whittemore is an English locational name derived from a place in Cambridgeshire, England. The name is believed to have originated from the Old English words "hwit" meaning white, and "mor" meaning moor or marsh, referring to someone who lived near a white moor or marshy area.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Whittemore can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Whittesmere." This suggests that the name was already well-established in England by the late 11th century.

During the 13th century, the surname was commonly spelled as "Whittemore" or "Whyttemore," reflecting the evolving spelling patterns of the time. In the 14th century, records show variations like "Wyhtmere" and "Whitemere."

One notable early bearer of the name was Sir John Whittemore, a member of Parliament for Wiltshire in the late 14th century. Another was Thomas Whittemore, a prominent merchant and landowner in Gloucestershire during the 15th century.

In the 16th century, the name appeared in various records, including the parish registers of several English counties. John Whittemore (born 1518) was a prominent figure in the English Reformation, serving as a chaplain to King Edward VI.

The 17th century saw the Whittemore family's presence expand across England, with members residing in counties like Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, and Yorkshire. One notable figure was Sir Thomas Whittemore (1610-1678), a wealthy landowner and Member of Parliament for Wiltshire.

In the 18th century, the surname Whittemore was well-established in the American colonies, with several immigrants bearing the name arriving from England. Benjamin Whittemore (1719-1799) was a prominent merchant and patriot in New Hampshire during the American Revolutionary War.

Throughout the 19th century, the Whittemore surname continued to be found across England and the United States. Notable individuals included Charles Whittemore (1801-1876), a successful industrialist and inventor from Massachusetts, and William Whittemore (1820-1892), a Union Army general during the American Civil War.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Whittemore families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Whittemore 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. Bedfordshire leads with 85 Whittemores recorded in 1881 and an index of 133.56x.

County Total Index
Bedfordshire 85 133.56x
Middlesex 7 0.57x
Huntingdonshire 6 24.59x
Leicestershire 6 4.40x
Derbyshire 5 2.60x
Lancashire 5 0.34x
Northamptonshire 5 4.33x
Hertfordshire 3 3.54x
Yorkshire 3 0.25x
Buckinghamshire 1 1.35x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Luton in Bedfordshire leads with 29 Whittemores recorded in 1881 and an index of 263.16x.

Place Total Index
Luton 29 263.16x
Bedford St Mary 13 792.68x
Silsoe 10 3448.28x
Wilshampstead 9 2571.43x
Campton 6 2608.70x
Misterton 6 3000.00x
Alfreton 5 85.47x
Holywell Cum Needingworth 5 1612.90x
Irthlingborough 5 442.48x
Liverpool 5 5.65x
Bedford St Paul 4 91.74x
Bedford St John 3 3000.00x
Cheshunt 3 101.35x
Islington London 3 2.52x
Ravensden 3 1500.00x
Skircoat 3 62.50x
Holwell 2 2222.22x
Houghton Conquest 2 769.23x
Shillington 2 212.77x
St Giles In Fields 2 47.17x
Ampthill 1 105.26x
Elstow 1 434.78x
Eynesbury 1 175.44x
Newport Pagnell 1 64.52x
Pinner 1 92.59x
Shoreditch London 1 1.88x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 6
Ann 4
Louisa 4
Charlotte 3
Elizabeth 3
Ellen 3
Emily 3
Jane 3
Mary 3
Ada 2
Anne 2
Eliza 2
Emma 2
Florence 2
Martha 2
Minnie 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Alles 1
Annie 1
Flora 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Johanna 1
Lily 1
M.A. 1
Maria 1
Matilda 1
Rose 1
Susanah 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Whittemore surname: questions and answers

How common was the Whittemore surname in 1881?

In 1881, 126 people were recorded with the Whittemore surname. That placed it at #17,245 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Whittemore surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 262 in 2016. That gives Whittemore a modern rank of #16,256.

What does the Whittemore surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from any of several places in England meaning "white pond" or "white marsh."

What does the Whittemore map show?

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