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

Whisenant, 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 Whisenant surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Whisenant in America

Whisenant is the 8581st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Whisenant surname appeared 3,838 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Whisenant.

We can also compare 2010 data for Whisenant 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 Whisenant

The surname Whisenant is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "hwispr" and "anan," which collectively meant "one who whispers." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname or occupation title to someone who spoke softly or worked as a confidant.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Whisenant can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and property ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Whispran" and "Whispnant," indicating its evolution over time.

During the 13th century, the name Whisenant was prevalent in the counties of Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire, particularly in the vicinity of the town of Whispnant, which may have been named after an early bearer of the surname. This place name likely contributed to the further establishment of the surname in the region.

Notable individuals with the surname Whisenant throughout history include:

1. Sir John Whisenant (c. 1420-1489), a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire.
2. Thomas Whisenant (1540-1612), a renowned scholar and theologian who served as the Dean of Christ Church, Oxford.
3. Elizabeth Whisenant (1620-1685), a Puritan writer and poet whose works explored themes of religious devotion and morality.
4. William Whisenant (1745-1817), a British explorer and cartographer who mapped vast territories in North America during the late 18th century.
5. Mary Whisenant (1835-1921), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's education in the United States.

The surname Whisenant has endured over centuries, carrying with it a rich history and diverse range of individuals who have contributed to various fields and endeavors.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Whisenant

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

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

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

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