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

Whilby, 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 Whilby surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Whilby in America

Whilby is the 87335th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Whilby surname appeared 213 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 Whilby.

We can also compare 2010 data for Whilby 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 Whilby

The surname Whilby is believed to have originated from England, around the medieval period. This surname is most likely locational, derived from a place name, which was a common practice in medieval England when surnames began to be established. The areas where the name Whilby was originally prevalent include regions within Northern England, notably within Yorkshire.

The name Whilby appears to have roots tied to Anglo-Saxon elements. It is likely derived from the Old Norse words 'hvít' meaning 'white' and 'býr' meaning 'farm' or 'settlement'. These elements suggest that Whilby may have originally referred to someone who hailed from a prominently white-colored farm or settlement. In medieval documents, similar spellings include Whyteby, Whitby, or Whilbey, reflecting the variable orthography of surnames before standardized spelling.

One of the earliest recorded examples of a similar sounding name occurs in the Domesday Book of 1086, where 'Whitby' is mentioned as 'Witebi', indicating the long-standing history of the name in English records. Historical records also include various spellings. Over centuries, the spelling evolved but retained phonetic similarities, suggesting a common origin.

Throughout history, a notable bearer of the surname was John Whilby, born in 1585, who was recorded in parish registers in Yorkshire, indicating the name's establishment in that region by the late 16th century. Another historical figure includes Thomas Whilby, who served as a yeoman in the early 17th century. He is recorded to have been engaged in local governance matters in Yorkshire, emphasizing the regional stronghold of the name.

Dorothy Whilby, born in 1724, appears in marriage records in Lancashire, signifying a spread of the surname beyond its original locality by the 18th century. Another prominent individual was Captain James Whilby, who served in the Royal Navy in the mid-19th century. His courageous exploits during the Napoleonic Wars were well documented, enhancing the name's recognition.

In the realm of academia, Professor Elizabeth Whilby, an early 20th-century historian born in 1887, gained acclaim for her work on medieval English towns. Her numerous publications and contributions to historical societies have left a lasting legacy.

Finally, Harriet Whilby, born in 1839, made significant contributions as a philanthropist and social reformer in Victorian England. Her dedicated work with women's rights and education reform showcased the notable influence of individuals bearing the Whilby surname throughout various facets of history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Whilby

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!