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

Witter, 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 Witter surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Witter in America

Witter is the 7776th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Witter surname appeared 4,268 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 Witter.

We can also compare 2010 data for Witter 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 Witter

The surname Witter is believed to have originated in England, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 12th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "wittian," meaning "to know" or "to understand," suggesting that the name may have been initially given as a nickname to someone considered wise or knowledgeable.

One of the earliest recorded references to the surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, where a person named Willelmus Wittere is mentioned. This early spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time.

During the 13th century, the name appeared in various records, such as the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which listed a Hugo Wytter. The Witters were also present in Sussex, as evidenced by the mention of a Walter le Wytter in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327.

The name Witter has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such figure was Sir John Witter (c. 1585-1660), an English politician who served as the Lord Mayor of London from 1611 to 1612. Another notable bearer of the name was Nathaniel Parker Witter (1820-1893), an American politician and lawyer who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Connecticut.

In the literary world, Henry Witter (1616-1688) was an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works, including "A Modest and Impartial Enquiry into the Cause of the Present Calamities of this Nation" in 1665.

The Witter surname has also been linked to various place names, such as Witter's Farm in Oxfordshire, which was mentioned in records as early as the 16th century. This connection suggests that some Witters may have derived their surname from the location where they resided or worked.

Other notable individuals with the surname Witter include William Witter (1800-1876), an American businessman and philanthropist who co-founded the Western Union Telegraph Company, and Robert Witter (1822-1892), an American businessman and banker who served as the president of the Union Trust Company in Boston.

Overall, the surname Witter has a rich history spanning several centuries, with its origins rooted in England and connections to various notable individuals and locations throughout time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Witter

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

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

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

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