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

Whitehat, 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 Whitehat surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Whitehat in America

Whitehat is the 100302nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Whitehat surname appeared 180 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 Whitehat.

We can also compare 2010 data for Whitehat 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 Whitehat

The surname Whitehat has its origins in England, likely dating back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have emerged around the 12th or 13th century. The name Whitehat is a compound surname, derived from the Old English words 'hwit' meaning 'white' and 'hætt' meaning 'hat' or 'head covering'. This surname would have originally been appellative in nature, describing an individual who was known for always wearing a white hat.

In medieval England, surnames often originated from physical characteristics or articles of clothing that were distinctive to a person. The surname Whitehat may have first been used to identify someone in a community, perhaps an artisan or a farmer, who habitually wore a conspicuous white hat. No substantial geographical concentration for this surname has been identified in historical documents, indicating that it may have been used by individuals in various parts of England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Whitehat can be found in the Hundred Rolls, a census commissioned by King Edward I in 1273, where a John Whitehat is listed as residing in Cambridgeshire. This record emphasizes the surname's presence as early as the 13th century. Another early mention appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296, documenting a William Whitehat paying taxes in the region.

A notable figure bearing this surname in the 16th century was Thomas Whitehat, who was recorded in the parish records of St. Mary-le-Bow Church in London in 1578. His records provide insight into the urban presence of the surname during Elizabethan times.

The name Whitehat crossed the Atlantic with European settlers. Among the early immigrants was Richard Whitehat, who was documented arriving in Virginia in 1635 as part of the Great Migration of Puritans. His presence marks an early instance of the surname in the New World.

In the early 18th century, another individual of note was Sarah Whitehat, who was known for her writings and local community involvement in Yorkshire. She passed away in 1731 and left behind a legacy that included a collection of letters and personal documents, providing a glimpse into the life of a woman bearing this surname during that period.

Captain Matthew Whitehat, born in 1798 and died in 1863, was a distinguished British naval officer during the Napoleonic Wars. His military exploits were well-documented, including his participation in several significant naval battles, cementing his legacy in British naval history.

These historical references illustrate the surname Whitehat's longstanding history and its use across centuries in both England and America.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Whitehat

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

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

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

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