Surname Whiteman - Meaning and Origin
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Whiteman: What does the surname Whiteman mean?
The last name Whiteman is mainly found in the United States, Canada, and England and is of English and Scottish origin. The name Whiteman is derived from pre-seventh century Old English and early Scots-Irish origins. The name is literally composed of the words 'white' and 'man' and can be found in several variant spellings such as Whiteman, Wightman, Wightmann, and Whiteman.
In early English records, the surname Whiteman was primarily used as a nickname for a person who had blonde hair or fair skin. As such, the name can be considered a descriptive nickname that was used as a type of identification.
The surname Whiteman has also been used to represent the direct physical characteristics of a particular person who had the last name, such as existing in a single family. This surname was originally often used to adhere to the age-old tradition of associating with the same social class during certain eras of history.
The Scottish variant of this name is sometimes seen as a shortened form of the given name White-man, which was in turn derived from a nickname based on a light complexion of the bearer.
The surname Whiteman can also signify ancestral origin in a small community, such as a small village, where one family adopted the name and it thereby passed down to generations that lived within that village or small community.
In conclusion, the last name Whiteman is of English and Scottish origin and literally means "white man" and was primarily used as a nickname for a person with blonde hair or fair skin. It was also often used to signify family origin, in a small community and the Scottish variant is seen as a shortened form of the given name White-man.
Order DNA origin analysisWhiteman: Where does the name Whiteman come from?
The surname Whiteman is most common in the United States, particularly in the northeast region. It is believed to have migrated to the US with European settlers in the 1700s and 1800s, where it spread as the US expanded its borders and more settlers populated the country.
The surname generally descends from British and Irish sources. In England, there are records of families with this name as far back as the late 12th century in Worcestershire, Yorkshire, and Lincolnshire. It also appears in northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, as well.
In the US, the surname is fairly evenly spread across the northeast, with clusters in Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio, and New York. It is most common in White Plains, New York.
Today, Whiteman is the 3,300th most common surname in the US, holding the highest concentration in West Virginia. It is not especially common in other countries, but it does appear in Australia, Canada, and South Africa.
Variations of the surname Whiteman
The surname Whiteman has many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin.
The most common variants include Whitehead, Whitmore, Whitlock, Wightman and Whitacre. These variants can be found in most English speaking countries, as well as others around the world.
In the United States, Whiteman is primarily found along the East Coast, from Pennsylvania south to Virginia, where the name may have originated. Additionally, this surname is found in scattered regions of the Midwest.
Other spellings and surnames of the same origin include Whitehead, Whitmarsh, Whitewood, Whitfill, and Whitler.
Further afield, Whiteman is found in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, and other parts of the world.
The Whiteman surname may also be found spelled differently in various records, such as "Witmane" in 13th-century England and "Witmsgne" in 15th-century Germany.
The root of the name is derived from the fact that these families had descendants with white hair or a white complexion, and therefore the name was befitting.
Overall, today variations of the many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the Whiteman surname can be found all around the world.
Famous people with the name Whiteman
- Paul Whiteman: Jazz musician known as the King of Jazz from the 1920s to the 1940s.
- Honor Whiteman: Science journalist based in London who covers medicine, molecular biology, genetics, and biotechnology
- Pete Whiteman: Australian artist and recorder of life on the Darling Downs
- Sir Richard Whiteman: Former Lieutenant Governor of Ontario and civil servant
- Paul Whiteman Jr.: Arranger, composer, conductor and vocalist
- Kenneth Whiteman: English organist and teacher
- Alan Whiteman: English guitarist, singer and songwriter
- Charles H. Whiteman: American conservation architect
- Philip Whiteman: English recipient of the Victoria Cross
- Chilly Whiteman: Professional ice sculptor, artist, and teacher