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

Wilhoite, 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 Wilhoite surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wilhoite in America

Wilhoite is the 19581st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wilhoite surname appeared 1,378 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 Wilhoite.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wilhoite 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 Wilhoite

The surname Wilhoite is believed to have origins in England, specifically dating back to the medieval period. The name is thought to be of Anglo-Saxon origin, derived from geographical features or locations. While there is some debate on the exact etymology, one theory suggests that Wilhoite may be derived from the Old English words wilig, meaning "willow," and hoh, meaning "hill" or "promontory." Therefore, Wilhoite could be interpreted as "willow hill" or "hill with willows."

Historical references to the surname Wilhoite are relatively scarce, which indicates that it may have been a localized surname not widely spread in early records. There are no direct mentions of the name Wilhoite in well-known historical documents like the Domesday Book, which suggests it may not have been established prominently by the 11th century. The earliest documented instances of the surname appear to be found in parish records and wills from the late medieval period.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Wilhoite is John Wilhoite, mentioned in English parish records from the mid-16th century. Another early instance is William Wilhoite, who appears in a 1590 land transaction document in Yorkshire. These records indicate that the surname was in use by then and likely linked to rural areas associated with willow trees and hills.

As time progressed, the surname Wilhoite found its way to America. During the 18th century, John Wilhoite, born around 1730, emigrated from England to the American colonies, where he settled in Virginia. His descendants are known to have played various roles in American history, particularly in the Southern states. Isaiah Wilhoite, born in 1802, served as a local official in Kentucky and is noted in state legislative records from the early 19th century.

In the 19th century, the surname continued to spread across the United States. James Wilhoite, born in 1847, became a prominent farmer and local leader in Tennessee. His son, Benjamin Wilhoite, born in 1875, continued the family's agricultural traditions and expanded their landholdings significantly.

One of the more famous individuals with the Wilhoite surname in modern history is journalist and author John Wilhoite, born in 1945. His work has been recognized in national publications, and he has contributed to numerous scholarly articles on American history.

Overall, while the surname Wilhoite does not appear prominently in early historical records, it has a clear lineage traced back to England and a strong presence in the United States. The name's association with natural land features and its journey from England to America provide a fascinating glimpse into its evolution over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wilhoite

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

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Wilhoite, 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!