The Whitley surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 26,732 people carried this name — #1,313 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 11,000 people counted. That is up 3% from 26,078 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Whitley surname

A habitational surname from Old English.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Whitley» (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 Whiteley’.

An early record he cites: William de Witeleye, Yorkshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

His entry covers Whiteley, Whitley and Whitely.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 808 · public domain.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Whitley was found among the farmers of Yorkshire, West Riding: 15 in every 10,000.

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.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Yorkshire, West Riding 15

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

40 families named Whitley, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 223 people lived in those households, 5.6 to a family on average. The table counts it together with one other spelling. 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
Virginia 5
South Carolina 2
Vermont 1
Connecticut 1
New York 1
Pennsylvania 1
Maryland 1

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

Whitley in American newspapers,
1910.

Newspaper page from The Comrade carrying the name Whitley
The Comrade 1910-11-25
Newspaper page from The Comrade carrying the name Whitley
The Comrade 1910-11-18
Newspaper page from The Daily Missoulian carrying the name Whitley
The Daily Missoulian 1910-12-08

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 66,447 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Whitley in Australian newspapers,
1830s–1990s.

8,344 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Whitley. The most, 1,316, date from the 1920s. Victoria 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 the Australian Capital Territory, at 1.6 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Victoria 2,680
New South Wales 2,678
Queensland 1,565
South Australia 498
Tasmania 422
Western Australia 397
ACT (Canberra) 88
Northern Territory 6

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

Who carried it

People named Whitley,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Thomas Whitley d. 1696 · politician
  • Maeve Mary Bourke d. 2010
  • Mary Whitley d. 1999
  • Roger Whitley 1618–1697 · politician
  • William Whitley 1749–1813 · politician
  • Esther Whitley 1755– · pioneer

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

In the public record

People named Whitley,
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 States1,718 records

1,718 records of the Whitley name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 901
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 314
  • Other U.S. records 503
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Freddie Lee Whitley

    Born 1949; from St Louis, Missouri. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1968 in Binh Dinh, South Vietnam. Buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Missouri.

    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 Reubin Clyde Whitley

    Born 1923 in North Carolina. Enlisted 1946 at Fort Bragg; stock clerk from Bertie County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1999, buried at Southampton Memorial Park, Franklin, Virginia.

    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 Nellie Whitley

    Arrived at New York in 1884 aboard the City of Chester from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 24; servant. From Ireland; bound for Rochester.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 1,718 records for Whitley 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) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). 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).

Australia352 records

352 records of the Whitley name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 230
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 43
  • Other Australian records 79
  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 James Whitley

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Prince Regent, sailing from London in 1829. Native of Leeds, Yorkshire.

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

    Arrived in Victoria in 1854 aboard the Albrecht Beyling, as an infant; British subject.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Charles Whitley

    Gentleman of Hawthorn, Victoria; died 1947.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 352 records for Whitley in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). 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); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada31 records

31 records of the Whitley name in Canada
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 10
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 7
  • Other Canadian records 14
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Gladys Irene Whitley

    Buried in 1996 at Burnsland Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 83.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Mark Harold Whitley

    Died 1949; buried at Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver, British Columbia.

    City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Karin Elizabeth Whitley

    Died 1937 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 31 records for Whitley in Canada.

Counts: City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

New Zealand28 records

28 records of the Whitley name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 21
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 6
  • Waimakariri District cemetery records, Canterbury 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Harriet Louisa Whitley

    Died 1955, aged 77; buried at Bromley 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 Sarah Whitley

    Buried in 1870 at Shortland Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 34.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Charles Whitley

    Died 1971; buried at Kaiapoi Public Cemetery, Canterbury.

    Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 28 records for Whitley in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri 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).

United Kingdom18 records

18 records of the Whitley name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 10
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 5
  • Welsh wills index cards 3
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Dinah Whitley

    Will proved in 1931; of Rhyl, Flint.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Catherine Whitley

    Buried in 1802 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 37.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record E. Whitley

    Border Regiment. 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 18 records for Whitley 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: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Netherlands4 records

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

    Married in 1908 in Amsterdam.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Birth record Harold Whitley

    Born 1886 in Veenendaal.

    Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Francis Whitley

    In a population register; born 1876.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 4 records for Whitley 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); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

France1 record

1 record of the Whitley 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 Erthia Whitley

    Born 1899 in Paris; died 1978 in Paris.

    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).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Whitley.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Whitley 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.

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