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

Wilhite, 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 Wilhite surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wilhite in America

Wilhite is the 4261st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wilhite surname appeared 8,325 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Wilhite.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wilhite 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 Wilhite

The surname Wilhite has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "wil" and "hyht," which together mean "willow wood" or "willow enclosure." This suggests that the name likely originated from a place where willows grew abundantly or where there was an enclosed area surrounded by willows.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landowners and properties commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry "Wilehite" is listed as a landowner in the county of Gloucestershire, indicating the presence of the surname in England during the 11th century.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the name appeared in various historical records, often with slight variations in spelling, such as Wilhit, Wylhyte, and Wilhight. These variations were common due to the inconsistencies in spelling and record-keeping during that time.

In the 14th century, a notable figure named John Wilhite was mentioned in the Chronicles of Froissart, a historical work detailing the events of the Hundred Years' War. John Wilhite was a soldier who fought alongside the Black Prince in the Battle of Crécy in 1346.

Another significant bearer of the name was William Wilhite, a wealthy merchant who lived in London during the 15th century. Records from the City of London Archives mention his involvement in trade with the Hanseatic League, a powerful commercial and defensive confederation of merchant guilds and towns.

In the 16th century, the name Wilhite was associated with the village of Wilhite in Shropshire, England. This place name likely derived from the same Old English roots as the surname and may have been the original location from which the family name emerged.

During the 17th century, a prominent figure named Thomas Wilhite (1605-1672) was a Puritan clergyman who played a role in the English Civil War. He was known for his support of the Parliamentarian cause and his opposition to the policies of King Charles I.

As the centuries progressed, the Wilhite surname continued to be found across various regions of England, with individuals bearing the name making contributions in diverse fields, from agriculture to art and literature.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wilhite

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

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!