2000
#8,580
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,533
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.31
Rare Last name
Willhite
Derived from a place name meaning "white hill" in Old English, likely referring to someone who lived near a chalky hill.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,009 Americans carry the last name Willhite. That puts it at #8,981 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.17 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 85,496 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Willhite surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
4.0K
1 in 85,496
Census rank
#8,981
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,496 bearers of the surname Willhite in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.17 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8981st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Willhite, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.9%) and Black (4.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Willhite
The surname Willhite has its origins in the Anglo-Saxon era of England, tracing back to the 11th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "will" and "hyth," where "will" meant "a willful or obstinate person" and "hyth" referred to a small port or landing place. This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive one, perhaps referring to a stubborn individual who lived or worked near a small harbor or dock.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Willhite surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Wilhite." This entry suggests that the name was already established in parts of England by the late 11th century. Over time, the spelling evolved into various forms, such as Willhight, Willhyght, and eventually Willhite.
During the Middle Ages, the Willhite family held lands and properties in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Staffordshire and Warwickshire. A notable figure from this period was Sir John Willhite, a knight who fought in the Battle of Agincourt in 1415 under King Henry V.
In the 16th century, the Willhite family gained prominence in the city of York, where they were involved in the wool trade. One of the most prominent members was William Willhite (1520-1589), a successful merchant and alderman of York. His son, Thomas Willhite (1550-1621), followed in his footsteps and became a prominent figure in the city's civic affairs.
As the centuries passed, the Willhite name spread to other parts of the British Isles and eventually to the Americas during the colonial era. One notable figure from this period was Captain John Willhite (1675-1742), an English sea captain who was instrumental in the establishment of the British colony of Georgia.
In the 19th century, the Willhite family had a strong presence in the American South, particularly in the states of Virginia and North Carolina. One notable individual was Reverend Thomas Willhite (1810-1879), a Baptist minister and author who played a significant role in the religious life of the region.
Throughout history, the Willhite surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including military leaders, merchants, clergymen, and public figures. While the name may have evolved in spelling and pronunciation over the centuries, its roots can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon era, reflecting the rich cultural heritage of England.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Willhite
Among Census respondents with the surname Willhite, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.9%) and Black (4.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Willhite bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Willhite surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White84.1% · 2,941
- Two or more races4.9% · 171
- Black or African American4.3% · 149
- Hispanic or Latino4.1% · 145
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.9% · 66
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 24
Timeline
Historical Census data for Willhite
Willhite appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#8,805
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,719
+186 bearers (+5.3%)
Per 100,000 1.26
Rank movement Down 225 places
2020
#8,981
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,496
-223 bearers (-6.0%)
Per 100,000 1.17
Rank movement Down 176 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,580 | 3,533 | 1.31 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #8,805 | 3,719 | 1.26 | +186 bearers (+5.3%) | Down 225 places |
| 2020 | #8,981 | 3,496 | 1.17 | -223 bearers (-6.0%) | Down 176 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Willhite surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #8,805 | #8,981 | -2.0% |
| Count | 3,719 | 3,496 | -6.0% |
| Per 100K | 1.26 | 1.17 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Willhite bearers went from 3,719 to 3,496 (-6.0% change). The surname moved down 176 positions in the national ranking, going from #8,805 to #8,981.
FAQ
Willhite surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Willhite?
Name Census estimates that about 4,009 living Americans carry the surname Willhite. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 85,496 residents.
How common is Willhite?
Willhite ranks #8,981 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.17 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,496 people with the surname Willhite. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,009), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.17 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.17 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Willhite.
Has Willhite become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Willhite went from 3,719 recorded bearers to 3,496. That is a decrease of 223 (-6.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #8,805 to #8,981.
What does the Census say about the background of Willhite?
Among Census respondents with the surname Willhite, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.9%) and Black (4.3%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Willhite in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.1% (2,941 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Willhite appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (84.1%), Two or More Races (4.9%), Black (4.3%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Willhite (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Willhite mean?
Derived from a place name meaning "white hill" in Old English, likely referring to someone who lived near a chalky hill. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Willhite (1.17 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Willhite?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.