White: Family Name, Meaning, History, and More

Published: July 9, 2024 by Kay Keene | Leave a comment

An important step in understanding who you are is learning about your family's heritage. You might be wondering what the White family name means. The White surname is recognized by the United States Census Bureau as a surname that has appeared more than 100 times throughout the Decennial Census survey. In this article, we will take a closer look at the origins, meaning, and history of the White family name.

Genealogy Family Generations Relationship Concept Learn about the White family name. — Learning about your family history can be a fun adventure.
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Origin of the White Family Name

The White surname is of Irish, English, or Scottish origin. It is typically a descriptive phrase for someone with blonde or white hair. It can also be an anglicization of the Gaelic name “MacGillebhain,” which means “son of the fair Gillie” in Scotland, and “Mac Faoitigh” in Ireland. In addition, the oldest records of the white surname have variant spellings and were first mentioned in the year 1070. In England, it was first mentioned as an Ordar se Wite residing in Somerset, England. Thereafter, in the United Kingdom during the 11th century, there were several different spellings, and the name was spelled Whyght, Whytte, and Wytt.

Furthermore, in the rest of Europe, the surname “White” is still spoken in their original tongue. Examples include “Bialas” in Poland, “Weiss” in Germany, and “Blanc” in France.

Additionally, White is the 15^th most common surname in England. According to the 1990 United States Census, the surname White was the 14th most usual surname by 2000; it dropped to 20 and 22 by 2014. There are approximately 1,176,396 people with the surname White in the United States.

To further add, ancestry has over 24 million records for the Whites:

11 million member trees
6 million births, deaths, and marriages
493k immigration records: These records show you how your ancestors traveled, which ship they were on, and when they arrived in the United States of America.
5 million census and voter lists: These records can tell you your ancestors' level of education, how they worked, veteran status, and more.
775k military records: The military records reveal the locations and times your ancestors served as soldiers.

01.31.2019. Genealogy and Family History 2 - Old Photographs and Documents from around 1880-1940 — Understanding our ancestry can expand our minds and create an understanding of other cultures.
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The White Family Name in American History

In American history, the surname White is significant because it relates to the White family that traveled to the New World overseas on the English ship known as the Mayflower in 1620. Peregrine White was one of the most famous White members to be born on the Mayflower, which anchored at Cape Cod, now Provincetown, on November 20, 1620. He is honored as being the first English baby to be born from the Pilgrims in America in New England in the United States.

Furthermore, Peregrine fathered seven children and had 29 grandchildren. The Peregrine relatives still reside in the United States today. You can sign up on Findmypast to find out whether you are related to the famous Peregrine White family. Additionally, in 1940, the life expectancy for the White family was 39 years, and in 2004, it was 74 years old in the United States.

Interesting Facts About The White Family Name

The average male height is 177.13 cm.
The average female height is 162.39 cm.
Whites is the 15^th most common surname in the UK.
According to Findmypast, they have a census record of 974,000 records dated back to 1100 for the White surname.
Marriage records suggest that those with the surnames Johnsons and Smiths were most likely to marry Whites.
Birth records show that popular White first names include John, Elizabeth, William, and Mary.