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

Withee, 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 Withee surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Withee in America

Withee is the 28176th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Withee surname appeared 849 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 Withee.

We can also compare 2010 data for Withee 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 Withee

The surname Withee originates from England and can be traced back to the medieval period. It is believed to have first appeared in the counties of Sussex and Hampshire. The name likely derives from the Old English word "widu" or "withig," meaning "willow tree," indicating that the original bearers of the name may have lived near or worked with willow trees, which were common in the English countryside for their flexible wood.

Historical references to the surname Withee are sparse, but the name does appear in various forms in medieval records. Early spellings of the name include Wythe, Wythie, and Withy, found in manorial rolls, tax records, and parish registers. One of the earliest recorded instances is a Robert Withee, who appeared in the Subsidy Rolls of Hampshire in 1332. The appearance of these surnames in legal and tax documents of the period suggests that those who bore the name were involved in agricultural or woodworking trades, likely linked to the willow industry.

The Withee surname also appears in historical documents from the 16th and 17th centuries. A notable individual is William Withee, born in 1564, who was recorded in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in West Sussex. William is documented as having been a yeoman farmer, a status that indicates his moderate wealth and social standing in the community.

During the 18th century, the surname began to appear in other English counties as well. Records from the Assize Court in Gloucestershire in 1723 mention a John Withee, who was a defendant in a land dispute case. This suggests the family had begun to spread across different regions of England, possibly looking for new opportunities or due to economic necessity.

The 19th century saw the Withee name crossing the Atlantic, likely as part of the larger wave of English immigration to the Americas. One such individual was Thomas Withee, who emigrated to the United States in 1843. He is recorded in the passenger lists of ships arriving in New York. Another notable person is Frederick Withee, born in 1820, who is listed in early U.S. census records as a farmer in Maine, indicating the family’s continued association with agricultural pursuits.

Famed American suffrage activist, Mary Ann Withee, born in 1843 and deceased in 1924, is another significant figure. She played a crucial role in the Women's Suffrage Movement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, advocating for women's right to vote. Her work had a lasting impact on the movement, and she remains a celebrated figure in the history of American civil rights.

In summary, the surname Withee has its roots in medieval England, with ties to the natural environment and occupations related to willows. It has been borne by various individuals who appear in historical records, showcasing a range of social standings and contributions to their respective communities. Through time, bearers of the name have migrated and made their mark in different parts of the world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Withee

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

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

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

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