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

Whitener, 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 Whitener surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Whitener in America

Whitener is the 7481st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Whitener surname appeared 4,453 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 Whitener.

We can also compare 2010 data for Whitener 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 Whitener

The surname Whitener is of English origin and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is a descriptive name derived from the Old English word "hwit," meaning white, and the occupational suffix "-ener," indicating someone who worked with or produced white materials, such as a bleacher or whitewasher.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Whitener appears in the Hundredorum Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1273, where it is spelled "Whytener." This suggests that the name was initially concentrated in the county of Lincolnshire, located in the East Midlands region of England.

During the Middle Ages, the Whitener surname was likely associated with individuals involved in the production of white cloth or the whitening process used in textile manufacturing. As the textile industry flourished in England, particularly in the wool trade, the Whitener name may have become more widespread.

One notable historical reference to the Whitener name is found in the records of the Guild of Weavers, Walkers, and Litsters (dyers) in the city of Norwich, Norfolk, dating back to the 15th century. Several individuals with the surname Whitener are listed as members of this guild, indicating their involvement in the textile industry.

Among the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Whitener are:

1. John Whitener (c. 1350 – 1415), a bleacher and merchant from Nottinghamshire.
2. Alice Whitener (c. 1420 – 1485), a whitewasher from Yorkshire.
3. William Whitener (c. 1490 – 1560), a cloth merchant and member of the Guild of Weavers in Norwich.
4. Thomas Whitener (c. 1530 – 1595), a bleacher and landowner from Lincolnshire.
5. Elizabeth Whitener (c. 1570 – 1635), a whitewasher and housewife from Gloucestershire.

As the Whitener surname spread throughout England, it also gained variations in spelling, such as Whitner, Whittener, and Whittiner. Some of these variations may have been influenced by regional dialects or the adaptation of the name to different areas.

While the Whitener surname is not as common as some other English surnames, it has a rich history rooted in the textile industry and the skilled trades associated with the production and finishing of white materials.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Whitener

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

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

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

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