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

Whiteman, 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 Whiteman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Whiteman in America

Whiteman is the 4645th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Whiteman surname appeared 7,642 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Whiteman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Whiteman 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 Whiteman

The surname WHITEMAN is of English origin and dates back to the 12th century. It is a descriptive name derived from the Old English words "hwit" meaning white and "man" referring to a person. The name likely originated as a nickname for someone with fair hair or complexion, distinguishing them from others in their community.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the WHITEMAN surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, which mentions a William Whyteman. The Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273 also lists a John Whiteman among the tenants of that county.

In the 14th century, the WHITEMAN name appears in various medieval records, such as the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire from 1317, which references a Adam Whyteman. The name is also found in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire from 1379, listing a Thomas Whyteman as a taxpayer.

The WHITEMAN surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One example is John Whiteman (c.1500-1557), an English clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Taunton in Somerset during the reign of Queen Mary I.

Another prominent figure bearing this surname was William Whiteman (1621-1685), an English writer and philosopher who authored several works on metaphysics and theology, including "The Immateriality of the Soul" published in 1679.

In the 18th century, Samuel Whiteman (1724-1786) was a successful merchant and landowner in Worcestershire, England. He served as the High Sheriff of Worcestershire in 1768 and contributed significantly to the local economy and community.

The WHITEMAN surname has also been found in various place names throughout England, such as Whitemansfield in Gloucestershire and Whitemansgreen in Buckinghamshire, further indicating the historical presence and influence of families bearing this name.

In the 19th century, Sir George Whiteman (1819-1895) was a notable British civil engineer who oversaw the construction of several major railway projects, including the London Underground and the Manchester Ship Canal.

Throughout its long history, the WHITEMAN surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who bore this name across different eras and regions of England.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Whiteman

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

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

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

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