Whightman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Whightman was formed many centuries ago by the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It was a name typically given to a person with a pale complexion or blond hair. A broad and miscellaneous class of surnames, nickname surnames referred to a characteristic of the first person who used the name. They can describe the bearer's favored style of clothing, appearance, habits, or character. The name means "white man" 1 as far back as the 13th century when the poem Piers Plowman, (line 5195) notes "a Wightman of strengthe." 2

Alternatively, the name could have been a baptismal name as in 'the son of Wigmann.' "I strongly suspect the baptismal origin is the correct one. " 3

Early Origins of the Whightman family

The surname Whightman was first found in Oxfordhire. The variant Witmar (a personal name) was found in the Domesday Book of 1086. 4

Withman (d. 1047?), Abbot of Ramsey, called also Leucander and Andrew, was a German by birth. 5

Other early listings of the name or one of its variants include: Witeman fugitius who was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1170; William Witman who was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Kent in 1230; Richard Wyteman who was listed in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1243; and Stephen Whytman who was listed in the Assize Rolls of Somerset in 1243. 6

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed Agnes Wyteman in Oxfordshire; John Wyteman in Cambridgeshire; Thomas Wyteman in Oxfordshire and William Wytman in Huntingdonshire. 3

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 list Johannes Wyghman, Willelmus Wyghman, and Johannes Wyghman as all holding lands there at that time. 3

The Scottish connection should now be explored. "Gilbert Wichtmann was rector of Lyne in 1527, and John Wychtman rendered to Exchequer the accounts of the burgh of Peebles in 1563. Thomas Vychtman was witness in Perthshire, 1547, John Waichtman appears in Melrose, 1606. " 7

Early History of the Whightman family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Whightman research. Another 109 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1544, 1566, 1612, 1631, 1688, 1716 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Whightman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Whightman Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Whightman include Whiteman, Whitman, Wightman, Whyteman and others.

Early Notables of the Whightman family

Notables of the family at this time include Edward Wightman (1566-1612), an English Baptist, executed at Lichfield for his views and was the last person to be burned at the stake for heresy in England. "He is said to have...
Another 40 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Whightman Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Whightman family to Ireland

Some of the Whightman family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 58 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Whightman migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Whightman Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Jacob Whightman, who was naturalized in Philadelphia in 1751
Jacob Whightman, who arrived in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania in 1751 8

Whightman Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Michael Whightman, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1848 8
John Whightman, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1853 8

Citations +

Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)
Langland, William, Piers the Ploughman. Translated by J.F. Goodridge. Penguin Books, 1959. Original copy was published in 13th century.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)