NameCensus.

UK surname

Whittet

A derivative of the Middle English "whit" meaning white or fair, likely describing someone with light hair or complexion.

In the 1881 census there were 297 people recorded with the Whittet surname, ranking it #9,792 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 241, ranked #17,233, down from #9,792 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Errol, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Douglas West, South Angus and The Glens.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Whittet is 345 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 18.9%.

1881 census count

297

Ranked #9,792

Modern count

241

2016, ranked #17,233

Peak year

1901

345 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Whittet had 297 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,792 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 241 in 2016, ranked #17,233.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 345 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Whittet surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Whittet surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Whittet 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 208 #10,107
1861 historical 179 #13,127
1881 historical 297 #9,792
1891 historical 318 #10,583
1901 historical 345 #10,541
1911 historical 55 #27,313
1997 modern 220 #16,607
1998 modern 228 #16,706
1999 modern 240 #16,226
2000 modern 225 #16,891
2001 modern 224 #16,716
2002 modern 223 #17,099
2003 modern 218 #17,131
2004 modern 224 #16,918
2005 modern 221 #17,028
2006 modern 228 #16,789
2007 modern 226 #17,103
2008 modern 234 #16,827
2009 modern 235 #17,151
2010 modern 236 #17,427
2011 modern 234 #17,383
2012 modern 235 #17,242
2013 modern 247 #16,935
2014 modern 250 #16,905
2015 modern 250 #16,803
2016 modern 241 #17,233

Geography

Back to top

Where Whittets are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Errol, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Kinnaird and Perth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Douglas West, South Angus, The Glens, Hilltown and Gannochy and Walnut Grove. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Errol Perth
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Kinnaird Perth
5 Perth Perth

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Douglas West Dundee City
2 South Angus Angus
3 The Glens Dundee City
4 Hilltown Dundee City
5 Gannochy and Walnut Grove Perth and Kinross

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Whittet

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Whittet

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

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Whittet is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Whittet 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

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

Meaning and origin of Whittet

The surname Whittet finds its origins in Scotland, where it is most prominently associated with the eastern and southern regions of the country, including areas like Fife and Midlothian. The name first emerged in historical records around the 14th and 15th centuries. It is thought to be a variant of the older name Whitehead, derived from the Middle English "whit," meaning white, and "heafod," meaning head. This etymology suggests that it could have originally been a nickname for someone with strikingly light hair or a pale complexion.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname is found in the "Rental Book of Cupar-Angus Abbey" dating back to the 15th century, where a John Whittet is mentioned as a tenant farmer. Similarly, a Thomas Whitet is recorded in the "Exchequer Rolls of Scotland" in the early 16th century, indicating that the name was well-established by this time. These mentions in formal records suggest that individuals with the surname Whittet were likely involved in local agricultural activities and possibly held significant positions within their communities.

In terms of geographical spread, the name Whittet has been linked to various regions in Scotland. Early records, such as those from the "Ragman Rolls" of 1296, show variations in the spelling of the name, including Whythed and Whihat. These variations can be attributed to the phonetic spelling common in medieval times due to the lack of standardized spelling.

Several notable individuals in history bore the surname Whittet. One such person is Alexander Whittet, born in 1642, who is known to have been a prominent farmer in Fife. Another is Robert Whittet, an influential merchant in Edinburgh during the 18th century, who was born in 1710. Andrew Whittet, born in 1780, was a well-regarded stonemason whose work contributed significantly to the construction of several key buildings in Aberdeen.

In the 19th century, the surname became more prominent with individuals like William Whittet, born in 1815, who was a notable figure in the textile industry in Dundee. His contributions to the industrial growth of the area exemplified the more urban migration and adaptation of the Whittet family. By the late 19th and early 20th century, the name had spread to other parts of the English-speaking world, with figures like James Whittet, born in 1872, who immigrated to Canada and became a well-respected community leader in Ontario.

Overall, the surname Whittet has a rich history rooted in medieval Scotland. Its various spellings and prominent bearers over the centuries reflect the social and economic contributions of those who bore the name. Through agricultural, mercantile, and industrial endeavors, individuals with this surname have left a lasting legacy in their regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Whittet families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Whittet 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. Perthshire leads with 133 Whittets recorded in 1881 and an index of 102.28x.

County Total Index
Perthshire 133 102.28x
Angus 77 28.69x
Midlothian 24 6.18x
Cambridgeshire 15 8.17x
Yorkshire 14 0.49x
Renfrewshire 10 4.45x
Huntingdonshire 7 12.17x
Stirlingshire 6 5.62x
Fife 5 2.92x
Kinross-shire 2 27.32x
Lanarkshire 2 0.21x
Middlesex 2 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dundee in Angus leads with 48 Whittets recorded in 1881 and an index of 47.90x.

Place Total Index
Dundee 48 47.90x
Perth East Church 18 146.82x
Blairgowrie 17 330.74x
Scone 17 735.93x
Perth St Pauls 16 531.56x
Eltisley 10 2173.91x
Liff Benvie 10 24.55x
Abernyte 9 3333.33x
Kilmalcolm 8 297.40x
Monifieth 8 84.39x
Blair Athole 7 404.62x
Edinburgh St Johns 7 285.71x
Edinburgh St Marys 7 92.84x
St Neots 7 223.64x
Heeley 6 68.81x
Auchterarder 5 137.74x
Auchterhouse 5 757.58x
Dewsbury 5 16.98x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 5 3.20x
Errol 4 165.98x
Falkirk 4 15.99x
Gamlingay 4 209.42x
Kettins 4 444.44x
Kinnaird 4 1538.46x
Kinnoull 4 116.96x
Longforgan 4 217.39x
Abernethy 3 176.47x
Auchtergaven 3 137.61x
Clunie 3 517.24x
Drypool 3 68.18x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 3 32.68x
Forgan 3 91.19x
Perth West Church 3 48.62x
Cambusnethan 2 9.61x
Cramond 2 68.03x
Dunbarney 2 266.67x
Dunning 2 122.70x
Forteviot 2 322.58x
Larbert 2 31.30x
Lochwinnoch 2 59.70x
Pittenweem 2 94.79x
Tottenham 2 4.33x
Bourn 1 123.46x
Cargill 1 74.07x
Collace 1 243.90x
Dunnichen 1 70.42x
Fowlis Easter 1 322.58x
Kilmadock 1 33.44x
Kinfauns 1 169.49x
Lundie 1 322.58x
Meigle 1 103.09x
Monzievaird Strowan 1 142.86x
Orwell 1 49.51x
Portmoak 1 96.15x
Redgorton 1 69.44x
St Martins 1 135.14x
Tibbermore 1 53.76x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Kate 3
Mary 2
Ada 1
Ann 1
Carry 1
Elizabeth 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Florence 1
Gertrude 1
Laura 1
Martha 1
Maud 1
May 1
Selenia 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 4
Charles 3
Peter 2
William 2
Alfred 1
Frank 1
George 1
Henry 1
James 1
John 1
Robert 1
Willie 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 Whittet households.

FAQ

Whittet surname: questions and answers

How common was the Whittet surname in 1881?

In 1881, 297 people were recorded with the Whittet surname. That placed it at #9,792 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Whittet surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 241 in 2016. That gives Whittet a modern rank of #17,233.

What does the Whittet surname mean?

A derivative of the Middle English "whit" meaning white or fair, likely describing someone with light hair or complexion.

What does the Whittet map show?

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