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

White, 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 White surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of White in America

White is the 24th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The White surname appeared 660,491 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 224 people would have the surname White.

We can also compare 2010 data for White 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 White

The surname White has its origins in England and dates back to the Anglo-Saxon period, specifically the 5th and 6th centuries. The name is derived from the Old English word "hwit," meaning pale or light-colored. It was initially used as a descriptive nickname for someone with pale skin, blonde hair, or someone who dressed in white clothing.

The earliest recorded instance of the name White appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The Domesday Book mentions several individuals with the surname, including Whiteman and Whitchild, which were early variations of the name.

In the Middle Ages, the name White was associated with various locations in England, such as White's Green in Oxfordshire and White's Hill in Somerset. These place names likely contributed to the further spread and adoption of the surname.

Notable individuals with the surname White throughout history include:

1. Sir Thomas White (c. 1492-1567), a merchant and philanthropist who founded St. John's College, Oxford.
2. Peregrine White (c. 1620-1704), believed to be the first English child born in colonial New England to the Pilgrims.
3. Gilbert White (1720-1793), an English naturalist and author of the influential book "The Natural History and Antiquities of Selborne."
4. Ellen G. White (1827-1915), a prominent author and co-founder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
5. E.B. White (1899-1985), the renowned American essayist and children's author known for works like "Charlotte's Web" and "Stuart Little."

As the surname White spread throughout England and later to other parts of the world, various spellings emerged, such as Whyte, Wight, and Whight. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and scribal practices of the time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name White

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

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of White, 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!