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

Whitlock, 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 Whitlock surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Whitlock in America

Whitlock is the 2142nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Whitlock surname appeared 16,927 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname Whitlock.

We can also compare 2010 data for Whitlock 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 Whitlock

The surname Whitlock is of English origin, deriving from Old English words. It is believed to have originated during the Middle Ages, with the earliest known records dating back to the 11th century. The name is thought to be a combination of the Old English words "hwit," meaning white, and "loc," meaning a lock or enclosure.

This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near or was associated with a white enclosure or a whitewashed building. It could also have been a descriptive name given to someone with white or fair hair. The earliest spellings of the name include Whitelocke, Whytelocke, and Whitlok.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Witloc." This entry refers to a landowner in the county of Hertfordshire. The Whitlock name is also mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from the 12th century.

Notable historical figures bearing the surname Whitlock include Sir Bulstrode Whitlock (1605-1675), an English lawyer, politician, and author. He served as a Member of Parliament and as a Lord Commissioner of the Great Seal during the English Civil War.

Another prominent individual was Sir John Whitlock (1610-1677), an English lawyer and judge who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1660-1661. He was also a member of the Honorable Artillery Company, a prestigious military organization.

In the 18th century, Nathaniel Whitlock (1726-1796) was a prominent English engraver and cartographer, renowned for his intricate maps and charts. His works were highly sought after by collectors and cartographers of the time.

During the 19th century, John Whitlock (1833-1909) was an influential English architect and surveyor. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including the Whitlock Memorial Hall, which was named in his honor.

In the realm of literature, Elizabeth Whitlock (1761-1836) was an English writer and poet, known for her contributions to the Romantic movement. Her poetry collections were widely acclaimed and celebrated during her lifetime.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Whitlock

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

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

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

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