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

Witty, 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 Witty surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Witty in America

Witty is the 14761st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Witty surname appeared 2,012 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 Witty.

We can also compare 2010 data for Witty 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 Witty

The surname Witty originated in England, likely in the late 12th or early 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "wittig," meaning wise or learned. This name was likely given as a nickname to someone who was considered intelligent or quick-witted.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Witty can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which lists a Robert le Wytty in Oxfordshire. The use of the prefix "le" suggests that the name was originally a descriptive nickname, rather than a hereditary surname.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various records and manuscripts, including the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, where a William Wytty was mentioned in 1317. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327 also recorded a John Wytty.

The name Witty was sometimes associated with place names, such as Wittenham, a village in Oxfordshire. This could have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname in certain areas.

Notable individuals with the surname Witty throughout history include:

1. John Witty (c. 1550-1620), an English clergyman and author who wrote a book titled "A Treatise on the Church."

2. Robert Witty (c. 1670-1738), an English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of comets.

3. William Witty (1736-1799), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and later became a Member of Parliament.

4. Mary Witty (1771-1848), an English botanist and illustrator known for her detailed drawings of plants and flowers.

5. Sir John Witty (1825-1901), a British lawyer and judge who served as the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales from 1892 to 1900.

While the surname Witty may have originated as a descriptive nickname, it eventually became a hereditary surname passed down through generations. Its history reflects the diverse backgrounds and achievements of those who have carried this name over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Witty

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

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

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