Find out how popular the first name Dewitt has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Dewitt by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Dewitt is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 7 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Dewitt.

The history of the first name Dewitt

The name Dewitt originated from the Dutch language and culture. It is a combination of the Dutch words "de" meaning "the" and "witt" meaning "white" or "bright". This name likely emerged during the Middle Ages, around the 12th to 15th centuries, when Dutch was developing as a distinct language.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Dewitt can be traced back to the Netherlands and parts of modern-day Belgium, where Dutch was spoken. It was initially used as a descriptive name, perhaps referring to someone with fair hair or a bright complexion.

One of the earliest known references to the name Dewitt comes from the Dutch scholar and philosopher Desiderius Erasmus, who mentioned a person named Dewitt in his writings from the early 16th century.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Dewitt. One of the most famous was Cornelis de Witt (1623-1672), a Dutch statesman and political leader who served as Grand Pensionary of Holland during the Dutch Golden Age.

Another prominent figure was Jacobus de Witt (1589-1629), a Dutch mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the development of calculus and the study of celestial mechanics.

In the realm of art, Dewitt Clinton Boutelle (1820-1884) was an American painter known for his landscape and genre paintings depicting scenes from everyday life in the United States.

John Dewitt (1789-1873) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States Senator from New York in the mid-19th century.

Lastly, Dewitt Bodeen (1908-1988) was an American writer and screenwriter, best known for his works of science fiction and horror, including the novel "The Compound Eye."

These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have carried the name Dewitt, which has its roots in the Dutch language and culture, reflecting its meaning of "the bright" or "the white."

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Dewitt was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Dewitt, please contact us.

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