Surname Whitener - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'W'
Whitener: What does the surname Whitener mean?
The last name Whitener is an English or Scottish surname originating in the Old English words "hwit" or "hwitan," which mean "white" or "whiteness." It is commonly believed to be an occupational surname, either referring to someone who worked with bleaching or whitening in the textile trade or someone who produced or sold white-colored objects. It may also be a topographical surname, typically referring to someone who lived near a white area of land, such as a field, a hill, a meadow, or a marsh. It is particularly common in parts of England and Scotland, and a variant spelling is Whitner.
The surname Whitener is found most commonly in the United States, where it has been present since at least the 1700s. The earliest known records for this name in the United States include a Thomas Whitener who arrived in Virginia in 1745, a William Whitener in Georgia in 1770, and a John Whitener in New York in 1795. Today, the surname Whitener is common in many parts of the United States, and it can also be found in some other countries, including England, Scotland, Canada, and Australia.
Order DNA origin analysisWhitener: Where does the name Whitener come from?
The last name Whitener is most commonly found in the United States. According to the United States Census Bureau, in 2019, there were almost 5,000 people in the US with the last name Whitener spread out across all fifty states. The most common states for Whit[ener’s were: North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Virginia, Kentucky, Arkansas, Florida, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Texas.
In North Carolina, Whitener is the 675th most common name out of 887,461 registered last names. It is also the 585th most common name in Pennsylvania, the 532nd in Georgia, the 1076th in Virginia, the 943rd in Kentucky, the 711th in Arkansas, the 1184th in Florida, the 869th in Tennessee, the 898th in South Carolina and the 612th in Texas.
The last name Whitener is of English origin and is one of many variants of Whit—en, Whitin, Whiting, and Whitwin. It appears to have originated as a place name, derived from any one of various places in England such as Wittenham (Old English -witten 'hay' and -ham 'outskirts'). Immigration from England to the US between the 17th and 19th centuries and beyond likely made the name more widespread in the US.
Variations of the surname Whitener
The surname Whitener has a few variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. The variants for the surname Whitener are Whitner, Whittner, Whitnauer, and Wittner. All of these variants are derived from the Middle English word and surname "whitener", which means "one who makes or whitens something".
The surname Whitener is also spelled variously as Whitener, Whitnor, Whetner, Whitinor, and Whittenor. All of these spellings come from the same source as Whitener, though the spelling of the second part of the surname may be slightly different.
Surnames of the same origin as Whitener are Whitnera, Heitner, and what between Whit, Wildners, Wilding, Witnauer, and Whitnraur. All of these surnames are derived from the Middle English "whitener", and all have the meaning of "One who makes or whitens something".
The surname Whitener is derived from an occupation as a whitener of textiles, fabrics, or other materials. The family is likely of English, Dutch, or German origin, as these are the countries where the surname originated. Whitener is an uncommon surname, yet one which has held its own across centuries, having survived centuries of change.
Famous people with the name Whitener
- William Whitener: American professional football player.
- Malcolm Whitener: American actor and singer.
- Matthew Whitener: Actor and writer.
- LaBCoWiTz (Lance Whitener): Hip-hop artist.
- Kathy Whitener: News anchor and reporter.
- Cheryl Whitener: Country music artist.
- Charley Whitener: The voice of Monsanto in the famous "Roundup" ads.
- Randall Whitener: American engineer, academic scholar, and author.
- Jamison Whitener: Broadway actress and dancer.
- Chris Whitener: Professional snowboarder and Olympic hopeful.
- Kevin Whitener: Stand-up comedian.
- Cletis Whitener: Film editor and director.
- Sarah Whitener: Singer and songwriter.
- Linda Whitener: BAFTA award winning American film make-up artist.
- Sim Whitener: Professional baseball player.
- Matt Whitener: Emmy award winning television director.
- Zachary Whitener: American stage actor.
- Don Whitener: Professional golfer and PGA champion.
- Leslie Whitener: Music professor at the University of Southern California.
- Christina Whitener: American folk singer-songwriter.