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

Whitesell, 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 Whitesell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Whitesell in America

Whitesell is the 9088th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Whitesell surname appeared 3,596 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 Whitesell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Whitesell 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 Whitesell

The surname WHITESELL originated in England, likely emerging during the Anglo-Saxon period in the 5th to 11th centuries. It is believed to be a locational surname, derived from a place name that incorporated the Old English words "hwit" (white) and "sæl" (hall or dwelling).

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions a landowner named Godric de Witesele in Warwickshire. This suggests that the name may have originated from a particular place called "White's Hall" or a similar name in that region.

In the 13th century, records show a Walter de Whitesull in Staffordshire and a Robert de Whitesull in Derbyshire, indicating the name's spread across different counties. The spelling variations in these early records, such as "Whitesull" and "Whitesele," reflect the fluid nature of surname spellings during that time.

During the late medieval and early modern periods, the WHITESELL surname continued to appear in various records. Notable individuals bearing this name include John Whitesell, a merchant from Bristol who was involved in the wool trade in the 15th century, and Thomas Whitesell, a landowner in Yorkshire mentioned in the court rolls of 1536.

In the 17th century, the WHITESELL family had established roots in the village of Whitchurch, Shropshire, where they were prominent landowners and farmers. One notable member was William Whitesell (1620-1684), a prominent Puritan minister who served as the vicar of Whitchurch and was known for his influential sermons.

Another significant figure was Sir Robert Whitesell (1702-1769), a wealthy merchant and Member of Parliament for the city of Bristol in the mid-18th century. He was known for his involvement in the East India Company and his support for the abolition of slavery.

As the centuries progressed, the WHITESELL surname continued to be found across various regions of England, with some families migrating to other parts of the British Isles and beyond, carrying the name with them.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Whitesell

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

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

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

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