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

Whiteshield, 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 Whiteshield surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Whiteshield in America

Whiteshield is the 136449th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Whiteshield surname appeared 123 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 Whiteshield.

We can also compare 2010 data for Whiteshield 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 Whiteshield

The surname Whiteshield originates from England during the medieval period. It is generally believed to have roots in the Norman Conquest of 1066, when surnames began to take on more significance. The name Whiteshield was likely derived from a combination of Old English and Old Norman terms: "hwit" meaning white and "scield" meaning shield. The white shield was often a symbol of purity and defense during the medieval times, possibly indicating a family’s association with knighthood or military service.

In the early records of England, the surname Whiteshield appears sparsely. One of the earliest mentions is a document from the 12th century which details a land grant in the county of Yorkshire. The record lists a "Richard Whiteshield" as a witness to the transaction. The name also appears in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a "Thomas Whiteshield" is mentioned as residing in Leicestershire.

During the 14th century, the surname gained more recognition. In 1324, a "Sir Geoffrey Whiteshield" was documented as a knight participating in the wars against Scotland. His name appears in several military rolls and charters pertaining to the time of King Edward II. Geoffrey’s lineage continued to be significant in English history, with records from the 15th century mentioning a "William Whiteshield" who served as a squire under Henry V during the Battle of Agincourt in 1415.

While the Whiteshield name was primarily found in England, it spread to other regions over time. In the 17th century, a migration of the Whiteshield family to America is documented with a "John Whiteshield" who settled in the Massachusetts Bay Colony around 1635. His descendants played a role in the early development of the colony, with papers and deeds bearing his name still preserved in local archives.

The surname continued to feature in English history through individuals like "Catherine Whiteshield", a writer and poet of the early 18th century. Her work, although not very widely circulated, contributed to the local literary circles of her time. Another notable figure includes "Edward Whiteshield", an officer in the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars, born in 1785 and documented for his service in battles such as the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

Examining variations and older spellings, Whiteshield remains fairly consistent with minimal alteration over centuries. There are no significant family estates or place names directly associated with the name, but its holders have left a lasting mark on historical records through their various contributions to military, literary, and colonial history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Whiteshield

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

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

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

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