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

Whittenburg, 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 Whittenburg surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Whittenburg in America

Whittenburg is the 14105th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Whittenburg surname appeared 2,131 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Whittenburg.

We can also compare 2010 data for Whittenburg 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 Whittenburg

The surname Whittenburg is of English origin, emerging from the southern counties of England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "hwit" and "burg," meaning "white" and "fortified town or manor," respectively. This suggests the name likely originated from a person who resided in or near a white-colored fortified settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Witteburh." This entry refers to a landowner or tenant in the county of Hampshire. Other early spellings include Wytteburgh and Whitteburgh, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling during that era.

In the 13th century, records show a Thomas de Whittenburg who was a prominent merchant in the city of Bristol. He was involved in the thriving wool trade and served as a member of the city's council. Another notable figure was Sir John Whittenburg, a knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War during the 14th century.

During the 16th century, the Whittenburg family established themselves as landowners in the county of Wiltshire. A notable member was William Whittenburg (1525-1592), who served as a magistrate and was responsible for overseeing the construction of several churches in the region.

In the 17th century, the name spread to the American colonies, with the arrival of Edward Whittenburg (1640-1712) from Dorset, England. He settled in Virginia and became a successful tobacco farmer. His descendants played a role in the American Revolutionary War, with Captain James Whittenburg (1745-1821) serving in the Continental Army under General George Washington.

Another significant figure was John Whittenburg (1770-1846), a prominent lawyer and politician from South Carolina. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives and was known for his oratorical skills and advocacy for states' rights.

Throughout history, the Whittenburg surname has been associated with various occupations, including merchants, landowners, soldiers, lawyers, and politicians. While not as widespread as some other English surnames, it holds a rich history and has left its mark across different regions and time periods.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Whittenburg

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

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

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

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