Find out how popular the last name Wheatle is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Wheatle.

Wheatle, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Wheatle surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wheatle in America

Wheatle is the 126765th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wheatle surname appeared 135 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Wheatle.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wheatle to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Wheatle

The surname Wheatle has its origins in medieval England, dating back to the Middle Ages. It is predominantly derived from the Old English words "hwǣte," meaning wheat, and "leah," meaning clearing or meadow. Thus, the name Wheatle might have originally referred to someone who lived near a wheat field or in a place characterized by wheat cultivation.

Areas where the surname Wheatle was originally found include rural regions of England where agriculture was a primary occupation, particularly in counties such as Kent and Norfolk. The agricultural reference in the name highlights its connection to farming communities and landscapes abundant in wheat fields.

The surname Wheatle appears in historical documents such as land records and parish registers. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 13th century. For example, a William de Wheatle is mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Kent in 1296. This indicates that the surname was in use by the late 1200s and points to its geographical origins.

Wheatle has variations in its spelling over time due to the lack of standardized English spelling in medieval documents. Some historical records reference the name as Whatele or Whetle, but the phonetic resemblance and contextual similarities confirm their connection to Wheatle.

In historical annals, the name appeared in various records. Thomas Wheatle, born in 1520 in Norfolk, is listed in the muster rolls during the Tudor period, which were used to record individuals required to serve in the military. Another notable individual is John Wheatle, a yeoman farmer from Kent, whose will was probated in 1587, providing insights into the family's wealth and societal status through documented bequests.

Moving forward in history, the name appears again in the 17th century, with Richard Wheatle recorded as a churchwarden in the parish records of St. Peter’s Church in Canterbury in 1654. The role of a churchwarden signifies a position of trust and responsibility within the local community.

Among more historically recent figures, a notable bearer of the surname is Alex Wheatle, born in 1963, a distinguished British author known for his works that explore the African-Caribbean experience in the UK. His contributions to literature have earned him several accolades, establishing the surname Wheatle as part of contemporary cultural history.

The evolution of the Wheatle surname from its agricultural roots to its presence in various historical documents underscores its enduring legacy. Each recorded instance enriches the understanding of the name’s journey through history, tied closely to the agricultural and social developments of England.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wheatle

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Wheatle.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Wheatle was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Wheatle has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

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

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

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