NameCensus.

UK surname

Whitters

A locational surname derived from a place name containing the Old English word "hwit" meaning white.

In the 1881 census there were 27 people recorded with the Whitters surname, ranking it #29,793 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 90, ranked #32,202, down from #29,793 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Fernhill and Cathkin, Vicarland and Cairns and Low Blantyre and Bardykes.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Whitters is 121 in 2009. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 233.3%.

1881 census count

27

Ranked #29,793

Modern count

90

2016, ranked #32,202

Peak year

2009

121 bearers

Map years

2

1998 to 2006

Key insights

  • Whitters had 27 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,793 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 90 in 2016, ranked #32,202.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 35 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Whitters surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Whitters surname density by area, 2006 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Whitters 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 23 #29,205
1861 historical 35 #29,571
1881 historical 27 #29,793
1891 historical 34 #31,604
1901 historical 29 #30,848
1911 historical 17 #31,675
1997 modern 95 #27,638
1998 modern 100 #27,619
1999 modern 98 #28,050
2000 modern 101 #27,555
2001 modern 102 #27,093
2002 modern 107 #26,849
2003 modern 112 #25,948
2004 modern 105 #27,181
2005 modern 107 #26,875
2006 modern 109 #26,872
2007 modern 118 #25,913
2008 modern 120 #25,922
2009 modern 121 #26,373
2010 modern 119 #27,250
2011 modern 107 #28,979
2012 modern 89 #31,934
2013 modern 89 #32,248
2014 modern 87 #32,585
2015 modern 89 #32,325
2016 modern 90 #32,202

Geography

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Where Whitters' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Fernhill and Cathkin, Vicarland and Cairns, Low Blantyre and Bardykes, The Murray and Huntingdonshire. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Fernhill and Cathkin South Lanarkshire
2 Vicarland and Cairns South Lanarkshire
3 Low Blantyre and Bardykes South Lanarkshire
4 The Murray South Lanarkshire
5 Huntingdonshire 002 Huntingdonshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Whitters

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Whitters

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Whitters, 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 Whitters surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Whitters 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Whitters is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Whitters is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Whitters 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 Whitters is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Whitters

The surname Whitters likely originates from England, with its roots traceable back to the medieval period. Various regions in England might have seen the earliest appearances of this name, particularly in areas such as Lancashire and Yorkshire. The name could have come from the Old English words "hwita," meaning white, and "ærn," meaning house. Over the centuries, these elements combined and evolved to form Whitters.

Whit records from the middle ages, such as tax rolls and court records, include variations of the surname. One early reference appears in the form of Robert de le Whitter in the Assize Rolls of Lancashire in 1219. This suggests that the name was used to describe someone who either worked with white materials or lived in a white house.

The Whitters surname also appears in various spellings throughout history. One significant variation is Whit, Often households documented in the Poll Tax rolls showed a tendency towards evolving surname spellings based on phonetic interpretations of the name.

Significant bearers of the Whitters name include Richard Whitters, known for his role as a local magistrate in Alnwick, Northumberland during the early 15th century. Documentation from the period confirms his active duties between 1423 and 1450. Another notable figure is Anne Whitters, who was mentioned in the York Guild records of 1532, indicating her significant association with the merchant guild. She might have been involved in the management of local trade practices.

John Whitters, a yeoman noted in the Hearth Tax returns for Yorkshire in 1672, had his residence recorded near Leeds, showing that his family might have been engaged in agricultural activities. William Whitters, known for his pioneering work in coal mining in the early 18th century, specifically around 1710, led to innovations in mining practices in Newcastle.

Lastly, Thomas Whitters, a prominent businessman involved in the textile trade in Manchester during the late 18th century, considerably impacted the local economy. His activities were prominently recorded in commercial directories between the years 1786 and 1794, marking him as an essential figure in the Industrial Revolution.

The surname Whitters has navigated through various linguistic and socio-cultural shifts, with individuals carrying the name contributing to diverse professional fields throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Whitters families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Whitters 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. Lanarkshire leads with 11 Whitters' recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.92x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 11 12.92x
Warwickshire 6 9.04x
Middlesex 4 1.52x
Suffolk 2 6.24x
Yorkshire 2 0.77x
Cornwall 1 3.36x
Lancashire 1 0.32x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cambuslang in Lanarkshire leads with 11 Whitters' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1279.07x.

Place Total Index
Cambuslang 11 1279.07x
Birmingham 6 27.12x
Hammersmith London 4 61.73x
Great Ashfield 2 5000.00x
Worsbrough 2 263.16x
Liverpool 1 5.27x
St Issey 1 1666.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ann 2
Alice 1
Anne 1
Catherine 1
Emma 1
Jane 1
Margaret 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 2
Henry 1
James 1
John 1
Patrick 1
Robert 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Whitters households.

FAQ

Whitters surname: questions and answers

How common was the Whitters surname in 1881?

In 1881, 27 people were recorded with the Whitters surname. That placed it at #29,793 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Whitters surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 90 in 2016. That gives Whitters a modern rank of #32,202.

What does the Whitters surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name containing the Old English word "hwit" meaning white.

What does the Whitters map show?

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