Whitiker last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Whitiker

A surname derived from the occupational name for a whitesmith or tinsmith.

Whitiker, 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 Whitiker surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Whitiker in America

Whitiker is the 109758th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Whitiker surname appeared 161 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 Whitiker.

We can also compare 2010 data for Whitiker 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 109758 107565 2.02%
Count 161 153 5.10%
Proportion per 100k 0.05 0.06 -18.18%

The history of the last name Whitiker

The surname Whitiker is of English origin, with its roots tracing back to the medieval period. The name is believed to have originated in the regions of Yorkshire and Lancashire, areas known for their numerous small settlements and agricultural communities. The etymology of Whitiker is derived from Old English elements "hwita," meaning 'white,' and "æcer" or "acer," meaning 'field' or 'cultivated land,' which collectively translate to 'white field' or 'white acre.' This may have referred to a piece of land characterized by its distinctive pale color or covered in white flowers.

Early records from the 12th and 13th centuries provide indications of the surname's presence. One of the earliest known references appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where variations of the name, such as Whittacre or Whittaker, are mentioned as landholdings and settlements. These early forms highlight the evolving nature of surname spellings during that time. In Yorkshire, a historical reference is made to a John de Whittaker, who held lands in the town of Whittaker in the early 1200s.

Another significant individual is Richard de Whittaker, born around 1275, who appears in legal documents from the late 13th century. Legal charters and land grants of this period frequently mention the Whittaker name, indicating the family's involvement in local governance and agriculture.

Moving into the 14th century, Thomas Whitiker, born approximately in 1310, became a notable figure in Lancashire, known for his work in the woolen trade, which was a predominant industry in that area. His contributions to the economic growth of Lancashire are documented in local trade records and guild registries.

The surname continued to flourish in England, and another prominent bearer was William Whitiker (1548–1595), an influential English theologian and Master of St. John's College, Cambridge. His scholarly works and debates on religious matters made significant impacts during the Protestant Reformation, earning him a place in historical academia.

In the 17th century, we find the record of Elizabeth Whitiker, born in 1620, who was among the early settlers in the American colonies. Her emigration to Massachusetts is documented in ship registries, reflecting the broader migration patterns from England to the New World during that era.

These references and individuals throughout history provide a snapshot into the journey of the surname Whitiker, illustrating its deep roots in English history and its spread across the world through migration and trade.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Whitiker

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

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 Whitiker was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 37.27% 60
Non-Hispanic Black Only 60.25% 97
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin (S)% (S)

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 Whitiker has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 37.27% 37.25% 0.05%
Black 60.25% 59.48% 1.29%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Two or More Races (S)% (S)% (S)%
Hispanic (S)% (S)% (S)%

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

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

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Whitiker last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/whitiker-surname-popularity/.

"Whitiker last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/whitiker-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 November, 2024

Whitiker last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/whitiker-surname-popularity/.

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