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

Whetstone, 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 Whetstone surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Whetstone in America

Whetstone is the 5721st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Whetstone surname appeared 6,064 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Whetstone.

We can also compare 2010 data for Whetstone 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 Whetstone

The surname Whetstone is of English origin and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is an occupational surname derived from the Old English words "hwettan" meaning to sharpen and "stan" meaning stone, referring to someone who sharpened tools or weapons on a whetstone.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Whetstone dates back to the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, where a Robert le Whetteston is mentioned. The surname was also found in various other medieval records such as the Pipe Rolls of Bedfordshire in 1275, where a William Whetstone is listed.

The Whetstone surname is believed to have originated in various parts of England, particularly in areas where the occupational trade of sharpening tools or weapons was prevalent. This includes regions like Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire, and Gloucestershire.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where a John Whetteston was recorded. The name also featured in the Subsidy Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1380, with a mention of a Thomas Whetstone.

One notable historical figure with the Whetstone surname was George Whetstone (c. 1550 - c. 1587), an English author and playwright who wrote works such as "The Rocke of Regard" and "The Honorable Reputation of a Souldier". He is considered one of the earliest literary critics in English literature.

Another prominent individual was Sir William Whetstone (1508 - 1594), an English politician and Member of Parliament who served during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He was a prominent landowner in Gloucestershire and held various offices throughout his lifetime.

In the 17th century, the surname Whetstone was found in various parish records, such as the baptism of John Whetstone in 1635 in Kenilworth, Warwickshire, and the marriage of Thomas Whetstone and Elizabeth Brinsley in 1674 in Olney, Buckinghamshire.

The Whetstone surname also had variants and spellings like Wetstone, Whetston, and Whettestone, which were used interchangeably in historical records.

Overall, the surname Whetstone has a rich history dating back to medieval England, with its origins rooted in the occupation of sharpening tools and weapons on whetstones. It has been carried by notable individuals throughout history and has maintained its presence across various regions of England over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Whetstone

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

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 Whetstone 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 Whetstone 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 Whetstone was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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