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

Whiteaker, 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 Whiteaker surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Whiteaker in America

Whiteaker is the 15520th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Whiteaker surname appeared 1,886 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 Whiteaker.

We can also compare 2010 data for Whiteaker 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 Whiteaker

The surname Whiteaker originates from England and is most commonly associated with the counties of Devonshire and Yorkshire. The name dates back to the medieval period, with its earliest forms appearing in various historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries. The name Whiteaker is believed to have derived from the Old English words "hwit," meaning white, and "æcer," meaning field or cultivated land. This indicates that the name likely described someone who lived by or owned a piece of pale or light-colored land.

One of the earliest known references to the surname appears in the Yorkshire Poll Tax records of 1379, where a William Whittaker is listed. This suggests that the surname was already established in England by the late 14th century. The name underwent various spellings over the centuries, including Whittacre, Whittaker, and Whitaker, reflecting regional dialects and changes in language over time.

A notable historical figure with the surname is Thomas Whittaker (1611-1646), an English Catholic martyr who was executed during the English Civil War for refusing to renounce his faith. Another prominent person is Sir Edward Whittaker (1655-1721), an English colonial administrator who served as the Governor of Bermuda. Additionally, Richard Whittaker (1730-1804) was a well-known landowner and philanthropist in Yorkshire, who contributed to local social causes.

In the 19th century, the name Whiteaker became associated with Thomas Whittaker (1796-1872), a British publisher and bookseller known for his contributions to the dissemination of religious and educational texts. Another significant individual is Sir John Whitaker Hulke (1830-1895), a distinguished surgeon and geologist who made considerable contributions to the scientific community.

Thus, the surname Whiteaker not only reveals a connection to a specific geographical feature in medieval England but also highlights a lineage of individuals who played various roles in British historical, social, and scientific contexts.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Whiteaker

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

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

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

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