The Whitaker surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 56,616 people carried this name — #596 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 5,210 people counted. That is up 4% from 54,343 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Whitaker surname

From Old English *Hwītæcer (literally “white-acre”).

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Whitaker» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘of the white acre’.

An early record he cites: Alan Witacur, Oxfordshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

His entry covers Whittaker, Whitacre, Whitaker and Whittiker.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 809 · public domain.

In Argentina’s national register

At least 44 people named Whitaker live in Argentina.

RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in La Rioja.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

La Rioja 21
Buenos Aires Province 12
Córdoba 11

RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.

In the Nordic population registers

31 people named Whitaker is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 31

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Whitaker was found among the farmers of 5 counties.

It was most frequent in Yorkshire, West Riding: 45 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 222. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent. His list gives one count for the spellings Whittaker and Whitaker.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Yorkshire, West Riding 45
Lancashire 40
Cheshire 26
Derbyshire 11
Staffordshire 8

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

130 families named Whitaker, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 757 people lived in those households, 5.8 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 23 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

North Carolina 28
New York 20
Massachusetts 19
New Hampshire 17
Pennsylvania 16
Maryland 11
Connecticut 6
Rhode Island 5
South Carolina 5
Maine 3

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 268 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Whitaker in American newspapers,
1899–1920.

Newspaper page from Free Trader-journal And Ottawa Fair Dealer carrying the name Whitaker
Free Trader-journal And Ottawa Fair Dealer 1920-10-26
Newspaper page from The Nebraska Advertiser carrying the name Whitaker
The Nebraska Advertiser 1899-03-31
Newspaper page from Potosi Journal carrying the name Whitaker
Potosi Journal 1899-03-29

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 204,672 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Whitaker in Australian newspapers,
1810s–1990s.

17,462 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Whitaker. The most, 2,862, date from the 1900s. Queensland has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Tasmania, at 2.1 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Queensland 5,095
New South Wales 4,899
Victoria 2,563
Tasmania 2,305
Western Australia 1,539
South Australia 965
ACT (Canberra) 44
Northern Territory 7

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Whitaker.

Who carried it

People named Whitaker,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Anne Whitaker d. 1988
  • Philadelphia Walter d. 1834
  • Caroline Whitaker d. 1934
  • Louisa May Whitaker d. 1952
  • Catherine Violet Cunliffe d. 1954
  • James Whitaker d. 1913

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Whitaker,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States3,523 records

3,523 records of the Whitaker name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 1,836
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 698
  • Other U.S. records 989
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Jere Lee Whitaker

    Born 1950; from Chula Vista, California. U.S. Army, engineer missile equipment specialist; died in an accident 1968 in Hua Nghia, South Vietnam. Buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Clyde B. Whitaker

    Born 1910 in Missouri. Enlisted 1942 at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana; porter. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1975, buried at Dayton National Cemetery, Ohio.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Sarah Whitaker

    Arrived at New York in 1848 aboard the Sultan from Dublin, aged 42; farmer. From Ireland.

    U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain)

Showing 3 of 3,523 records for Whitaker in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia613 records

613 records of the Whitaker name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 260
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 110
  • Other Australian records 243
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Abraham Whitaker

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Blundell in 1844. Native of Bedfordshire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1850.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Louisa Whitaker

    Died 1887 in Port Sorell, Tasmania, aged 23. Will registered in Tasmania in 1887.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record George Whitaker

    Arrived in Victoria in 1864 aboard the Tom Magnus, aged 11; British subject.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 613 records for Whitaker in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada61 records

61 records of the Whitaker name in Canada
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 18
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 14
  • Other Canadian records 29
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Joseph Whitaker

    Came to Ontario in 1870 aboard the Dacia, landing at Quebec, bound for Collingwood, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Henry Whitaker

    Buried in 1969 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 86.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Ronald Whitaker

    Died in service in 1943.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 61 records for Whitaker in Canada.

Counts: City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

United Kingdom45 records

45 records of the Whitaker name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 23
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 18
  • Welsh wills index cards 4
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Jenny Whitaker

    Buried in 1800 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 42.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Mary Penson Whitaker

    Will proved in 1936; of Criccieth, Carnarvon.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record R. P. Whitaker

    Gunner, Royal Garrison Artillery. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 45 records for Whitaker in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand20 records

20 records of the Whitaker name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 17
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 2
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Lorna Hope Whitaker

    Died 1989, aged 77; buried at Memorial Park Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Charles Godfrey Whitaker

    Died 1923, aged 58; buried at Sydenham Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record F. Whitaker

    New Zealand Infantry. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 20 records for Whitaker in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

Netherlands7 records

7 records of the Whitaker name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 4
  • Dutch population registers 3
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Ann Eliza Whitaker

    Married in 1921 in Rotterdam. Died 1955 in Schiedam.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Gemeentearchief Schiedam (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Edward Henry Whitaker

    Married in 1944 in Eindhoven.

    Open Archives, Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Mary Elizabeth Whitaker

    Died 1959 in 's-Gravenhage, aged 83.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 7 records for Whitaker in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

France1 record

1 record of the Whitaker name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Merioneth Margaret Whitaker

    Born 1915 in the United States; died 2001 in Cannes (Alpes-Maritimes).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Other spellings of this name

The same name, spelled another way.

Spellings that H. B. Guppy (England and Wales, 1890) or the Registrar-General for Ireland (births index of 1890) counted as one name together with Whitaker.

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Whitaker.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Whitaker is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Whitaker volume
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