Surname Whitely - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'W'
Whitely: What does the surname Whitely mean?
The last name Whitely is of English origin, and is a habitational name derived from any one of several places in England named with the Old English pre 7th Century term "hwit" meaning "white", plus "leah" , a wood or clearing. Records of the Whitely name date back to 1232, when a John de Whytwelle, was entered in the 'Assize Court Rolls of Wiltshire'. Surnames developed when families began using a common name to identify their households, and over time, the name Whitely became associated with the corresponding family. The Whitely family lived as wealthy landowners, but were also active in government and the military.
Whitely families were prominent in business and trade, and could also be found as merchants of wool, malt and cheese. They could also be found in the professions, including clergy, lawyers, barristers, physicians and surgeons. They were also servants, domestic workers and even falconers.
In modern times, the name Whitely is associated with a successful line of chemicals, processes and industrial engineering services developed by the Whitely Corporation, begun in the late 19th century. It is also found as a popular British surname, ranking 64th in popularity for all the surnames in the British Isles.
Order DNA origin analysisWhitely: Where does the name Whitely come from?
The last name Whitely is commonly found throughout the English-speaking world. In England, the name is most prominent in the Midlands region and is particularly common in Nottinghamshire. In the United States, Whitely is widely distributed across the country, with particularly dense concentrations in the Midwest and on the East Coast.
In Canada, Whitely is largely confined to Ontario, with larger communities in Toronto, Ottawa, and Kitchener-Waterloo. The name is also present in Australia, with the most prominent concentrations in the capital of Canberra and the province of Victoria. The Whitely family name is also found in New Zealand, but is less numerous than in other countries.
The spelling of the Whitely name varies widely, with alternative spellings ranging from Whitley to Whyteley. Variations also exist for the given name, with Whitley and Whitely both appearing in historical records. There is, however, no consistent historical pattern for this name in the English-speaking world.
Variations of the surname Whitely
The surname Whitely is a patronymic surname derived from the English personal name "Whyt," meaning "white." Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Whitely include Whytley, Whitly, Whitley, Whitele, Whitle, Wightley, Witteley, Whitleigh, Whitehill, Whitehil, Whitlaw, Whitlow, Whitelow, Whithill, Whitcliffe, Whitcliff, Whytlow, Whitney, Whyotte, Whyatt, Whitt, and Wight.
Whitley is the more common spelling of the surname Whitely. This spelling is often found recorded in England, Scotland, and North America. Whitly is another common spelling and is particularly found in Scotland.
In Scotland, the surname Whitely could also be spelled as Whithill, Whitlaw, or Whitlow, all of which refer to clan or lands located in the Edinburgh/Fife area. The spelling Whitele is sometimes used as a variant of Whitley and is found in various spellings throughout Scotland. This spelling could refer to a place near the Whitley Castle dating back to the 12th century.
The spelling Whytley is another variant of the surname Whitely and is found mostly in the United Kingdom. This spelling likely originated from interchangeability of the letter "H" for the letter "W" when names were transcribed from Middle English.
The alternative spelling, Whitney, is commonly found in Ireland. This spelling is especially documented in county Kerry due to an influx of English immigrants. The spelling Whyatt is another variant of Whitely found in England, likely in reference to Whyatt Village in Essex. The Whitt surname, also found in England, is a modern spelling used for the Whitely surname.
Finally, the surname Wightley is a variant found in Scotland related to a place in both Fife and Aberdeenshire.
Famous people with the name Whitely
- Madeline Whitely:actress
- Benedict Cumberbatch: British actor
- Clint Whitely: Major League Baseball pitcher
- Stephen Whitely: actor
- James Whitely: American Football player
- Emily Whitely: Canadian singer
- Kristen Whitely: actress
- Kate Whitely: actress
- Jack Whitely: English narrator and voice actor
- Jemaah Whitely: actress and model
- Adrian Whitely: English singer-songwriter and producer
- Kenny Whitely: film and television producer
- Derek Whitely: American race car driver
- Bart Whitely: Australian celebrity chef
- Stacey Whitely: Australian Olympian in equestrian