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

Whitaker, 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 Whitaker surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Whitaker in America

Whitaker is the 596th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Whitaker surname appeared 56,616 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 19 people would have the surname Whitaker.

We can also compare 2010 data for Whitaker 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 Whitaker

The surname Whitaker originated in England and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "hwit" meaning white and "acre" referring to a cultivated field or plot of land. This suggests that the name was likely given to someone who lived near or worked on a white field or area of land.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Whitaker appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1166, where it is spelled "Whiteacre." This document lists landowners and taxpayers in the region. Over time, the spelling evolved to Whitaker, reflecting the way it was pronounced.

The Whitaker name can also be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landowners and property in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. Here, the name is recorded as "Whittacre" and "Whiteacre," indicating that it was already in use before the Norman Conquest.

In the 13th century, there are records of a John Whitaker living in Lancashire, England. Another notable early bearer of the name was Sir Thomas Whitaker (1492-1537), who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1531.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Whitaker family established themselves as prominent landowners and merchants in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Cheshire. One notable member of the family was Jeremiah Whitaker (1599-1654), a renowned Anglican clergyman and theologian who served as the Lady Margaret's Professor of Divinity at the University of Cambridge.

Another notable figure was the poet and dramatist Thomas Whitaker (1759-1821), who was born in Holme, Lancashire. He is best known for his work "The History and Antiquities of the Deanery of Craven," which documented the history and architecture of the region.

In the 19th century, John Whitaker (1776-1835) was a prominent English historian and antiquarian who published several works, including "The History of Whalley" and "The Life and Original Correspondence of Sir George Radcliffe."

The Whitaker name has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Whitacre in Warwickshire, Whittakers in Lancashire, and Whiteacre in Yorkshire, further reinforcing its connection to the Old English roots.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Whitaker

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

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

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

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