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

Whitsey, 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 Whitsey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Whitsey in America

Whitsey is the 81181st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Whitsey surname appeared 233 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 Whitsey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Whitsey 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 Whitsey

The surname Whitsey has its origins in England, with historical roots dating back to the Middle Ages. Its etymology traces to the combination of Old English words, most likely "hwita," meaning "white," and "ieg" or "ey," meaning "island" or "water meadow." This suggests that the original bearers of the name might have lived near a white water meadow or a bright, open area surrounded by water.

The earliest references to the name appear in medieval England, where variations of the name can be found in historical records, such as the early parish registers and legal documents. In some instances, the name appears as Whitesey, Whitesea, or Wytsay, reflecting variations in spelling before the standardization of English orthography.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Whitsey is in the 14th century, with the mention of John de Whitsey in a 1361 court document in the county of Kent. This John de Whitsey was likely a landowner or someone of notable local standing, as evidenced by his inclusion in official records.

By the 16th century, the surname appears more frequently. In 1547, a Thomas Whitsey is recorded as a yeoman in Sussex. His will, documented in local probate records, provides a glimpse into the life of an early modern English family, including the possessions and land held by Thomas Whitsey at the time.

Moving into the late 17th century, another notable example is George Whitsey (1643-1701), a merchant from Bristol who participated in local trade and commerce. His involvement in the merchant guilds of Bristol indicates the family's increasing integration into the burgeoning merchant class during this period.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, members of the Whitsey family began to appear with greater frequency in various parts of England. Joseph Whitsey (1778-1852), for instance, emerges as a prominent figure in agricultural developments in Lincolnshire, innovating farming techniques that were adopted widely in the region.

Lastly, in the 19th century, Elizabeth Whitsey (1802-1887) became notable for her philanthropic work in Liverpool. Elizabeth was involved in numerous charitable organizations and was instrumental in the establishment of several schools and hospitals aimed at improving the lives of the underprivileged in the city.

Throughout its history, the surname Whitsey has roots in the rural and mercantile life of England. The recurring appearance of the name in records over the centuries highlights its longstanding presence and the various roles it played in different communities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Whitsey

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

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

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

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