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

Whitehouse, 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 Whitehouse surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Whitehouse in America

Whitehouse is the 5555th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Whitehouse surname appeared 6,258 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Whitehouse.

We can also compare 2010 data for Whitehouse 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 Whitehouse

The surname Whitehouse has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from a place name referring to a dwelling of particular significance, such as a manor house or a religious house painted white. The name is believed to have emerged in the 13th or 14th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex, dated 1296, which mention a Robert de Whitehous. Another early reference is in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273, where a William de la Whytehuse is listed. These examples suggest that the name may have originally been spelled with variations such as Whitehous or Whytehuse.

In the 15th century, the name appears in various records across England, including the Patent Rolls of 1441, which mention a John Whitehous. The Whitehouse surname is also found in the Hearth Tax Rolls of Yorkshire from the late 17th century, indicating its presence in that region.

Notable individuals with the surname Whitehouse include William Whitehouse (1635-1696), an English clergyman and author who wrote a work titled "The Protestant Reconciler." Another prominent figure was Sir John Whitehouse (1786-1855), a British naval officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and later became a Member of Parliament.

In the 19th century, Charles Whitehouse (1833-1891) was a renowned English architect and surveyor, best known for his work on the restoration of Chester Cathedral. Additionally, Walter Whitehouse (1874-1957) was a British businessman and philanthropist who founded the Whitehouse Trust, a charitable organization.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Whitehouse surname in America dates back to the 17th century, with the arrival of Thomas Whitehouse, who settled in Massachusetts in 1638. Over time, the name spread across various regions of the United States.

While the Whitehouse surname is predominantly English in origin, it has also been adopted by families in other parts of the British Isles and beyond, reflecting the movement and settlement patterns of different populations throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Whitehouse

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

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

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

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