Surname Whitmore - Meaning and Origin

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V. Whitmore

Whitmore: What does the surname Whitmore mean?

The last name Whitmore is derived from the Old English words “hwit”, meaning white, and “mōr”, meaning a moor or patch of land cleared of trees. This surname dates from the 11th century and was possibly given to a person who lived near a white-coloured patch of land or to a person with white hair or pale skin. The surname Whitmore may have initially referred to a very specific geographical location but in time, it has come to be used as a name by many English families.

The surname Whitmore is an occupational name for various kinds of workers, such as a tailor or a miner. Whitmore may also be the shortened form of other English surnames that contain the Old English word whīt, such as Whitacre, Whiteaker, Whitbread, or Whitfield. Some families with the surname Whitmore are also believed to be descendants of immigrants from Northwest Germany who came to England during the 17th century as part of the mass migration of Protestant refugees fleeing religious persecution on the continent.

Today, the surname Whitmore can be found in records all over the English-speaking world. In the United States, the family name is the 88th most common, with over 19,000 people using the name. The name is also found in Canada, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand. It is often found as a first name, as well as a last name, suggesting that either given name or surname is rather popular in the English-speaking world.

Whitmore: Where does the name Whitmore come from?

The last name Whitmore is most common in English speaking countries today, such as the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, and Australia. The first recorded reference to the Whitmore name originates with a family living in Oxfordshire, England, in the thirteenth century. Since then, the surname has spread to other parts of the world.

In the United States, Whitmore is one of the most widespread names. According to the 2010 Census, there were 45,842 individuals with the last name Whitmore living in the United States, with the majority living in southern states such as Texas, Mississippi, and Alabama. In terms of geographic distribution, the West Coast has the highest concentration of Whitmores, while the Midwest has the lowest concentration.

The last name Whitmore is similarly common in the United Kingdom, where it was ranked as the 930th most popular surname. Within the UK, the regions with the largest concentrations of Whitmores are East Sussex, Berkshire, and Hampshire.

Canada also hosts large populations of Whitmores, and the last name ranks in the top 1,000 most common names, coming in at 797th place. Most Whitmores in Canada are located in the cities of Toronto and Vancouver.

Finally, the last name Whitmore is popular in Australia, where it is found in nearly every state. Whitmore ranked as the nation’s 558th most popular surname in 2018. Moreover, it is more common in certain states, with the highest concentrations found in New South Wales and Queensland.

Variations of the surname Whitmore

The surname Whitmore is derived from the Old English words 'hwit' (white) and 'mor' (moor, marshy ground, or hill). It is usually found as Whitmore, but it does have several alternative spellings and variants. These include:

Whittemore - This variant is thought to have derived from the contraction of Whitmore.

Whetmore - This variant's spelling is thought to have come from the Norman French pronunciation of Whitmore.

Whitemore - This variant is thought to have come about as a result of a misunderstanding of the French pronunciation of Whitmore.

Whitmoor - This variant might have also come from the contraction of Whitmore.

Witmore - This variant is thought to have come from a mispelling of Whitmore.

Whitmere - This variant might have come from the contraction of Whitmore.

Whitmore is also an anglicized form of other surnames of the same origin. Some of these include Wettemoor, Wittmoor, Wittemoor, Wittenmoor, Weitemore, Wetmore, Whitmore, and Wöhrmoor. It is also a variant of two German surnames of the same origin: Wittemann and Witermann.

All of these variants and surnames are derived from a single source: the Old English words 'hwit' and 'mor'. The variants showcase the varied spelling of names throughout history and the many ways in which they were pronounced.

Famous people with the name Whitmore

• Jessie Whitmore: A Canadian actress, best known for her role as Carolyn Margolies on the Netflix science-fiction series Travelers.
• Lena Whitmore: A famous Turkish singer-songwriter, best known for her song 'Küsse Mich'.
• Tom Whitmore: An English actor and musician, best known for portraying the lead role in the BBC production of the musical The War of the Worlds.
• Finlay Whitmore: A British actor, best known for playing young Sam in Netflix's The Witcher series.
• Jackson Whitmore: An American actor who stars in the TV series The 100.
• Craig Whitmore: A film and television actor, best known for his starring roles in the films The Grass is Greener and Last of the Romantics.
• Hannah Whitmore: An English actress, best known for her featured roles in the TV series The Musketeers and Doctor Who.
• George Whitmore: An Emmy Award-winning American screenwriter who penned the story for the television miniseries Roots.
• Kira Whitmore: A British singer, most prominently featured on the singles ‘Breathe’ and ‘You’.
• Robert Whitmore: A prominent British composer who has had works performed at major venues, events, and festivals.

Other surnames

Whitmoyer