Whitlocke History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

The ancestors of the Whitlocke family lived among the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. Whitlocke was a name given to a person with white hair. Looking back further, we find the name Whitlocke was derived from the Old English words whit, meaning white and lock, meaning tress or hair. 1 2

Early Origins of the Whitlocke family

The surname Whitlocke was first found in Devon, but much later "the Whitlocks were best represented in the Halstead [Essex] district." 3

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 has only two listings for the family with very early spellings: Emma filius Witlok, Huntingdonshire; and William Witlohc, Oxfordshire. 4

Kirby's Quest also had two early entries for the family in Somerset: William atte Whytelak and Walter Whytelock. Both were "1 Edward III," in other words entered in the first year of King Edward III's reign. 5

Much further to the north in Scotland, "Th Quhyteloke" was Burgess of Edinburgh in 1403 and Robert Quhytlok was a tenant under the Abbey of Kelso in 1567. 6

Early History of the Whitlocke family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Whitlocke research. Another 133 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1537, 1564, 1565, 1570, 1584, 1586, 1605, 1608, 1610, 1622, 1624, 1625, 1631, 1632, 1654, 1659, 1675, 1701 and 1709 are included under the topic Early Whitlocke History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Whitlocke Spelling Variations

Whitlocke has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Whitlocke have been found, including Whitlock, Whitelock, Witlock and others.

Early Notables of the Whitlocke family

More information is included under the topic Early Whitlocke Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Whitlocke family to Ireland

Some of the Whitlocke family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Whitlocke family

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Whitlockes to arrive on North American shores: Thomas and Ann Whitlock, who settled in Virginia in 1638; William Whitelock settled in Barbados in 1776.

Contemporary Notables of the name Whitlocke (post 1700) +

Judson Whitlocke Lyons (1860-1924), American Republican politician, Member of Republican National Committee from Georgia, 1896-1904; Register of the U.S. Treasury, 1898-1906 7

Citations +

Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 8) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html