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

Whitman, 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 Whitman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Whitman in America

Whitman is the 1851st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Whitman surname appeared 19,399 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 7 people would have the surname Whitman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Whitman 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 Whitman

The surname Whitman has its origins in England, emerging in the early medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "hwit" (white) and "man" (person), suggesting it may have originally referred to a person with fair hair or complexion.

The earliest known recorded instance of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled "Witteman." This comprehensive survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror provides invaluable insight into the distribution of surnames across England during the late 11th century.

By the 13th century, the name had evolved to its more modern spelling of "Whitman," as evidenced by records from the Pipe Rolls of Nottinghamshire in 1275, which mention a "Thomas Whitman." Throughout the Middle Ages, the surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, and Derbyshire.

One notable early bearer of the name was Walter Whitman, a 14th-century English landowner and Member of Parliament for Nottinghamshire in 1388. His family's holdings were centered around the village of Whitman's Norton, now known as Norton Disney, which likely derived its name from the Whitman family.

In the 16th century, the renowned English poet and courtier Sir John Whitman (1530-1596) gained prominence during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. His poetic works, including "The Whitman Sonnets," were widely celebrated and helped to further establish the Whitman name in literary circles.

Moving into the 17th century, a notable figure was George Whitman (1638-1723), an English Puritan minister who emigrated to Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1662. He served as the pastor of the First Church of Christ in Milford, Connecticut, and was a vocal advocate for religious freedom.

Perhaps the most famous bearer of the Whitman surname was the renowned American poet Walt Whitman (1819-1892). Born on Long Island, New York, his seminal work "Leaves of Grass" is considered a landmark in American literature, celebrating themes of democracy, individualism, and the natural world.

Another significant Whitman was Marcus Whitman (1802-1847), an American missionary and pioneer who played a pivotal role in establishing the Oregon Trail and promoting westward expansion in the United States. His efforts helped pave the way for the eventual settlement of the Pacific Northwest region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Whitman

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

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

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

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