Whitte History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England-Alt
England
Ireland
Scotland

The distinguished surname Whitte came from England to Ireland in several different waves, beginning with the Anglo-Norman invasion of the 12th century. As an Irish name, this name has been used as a translation of various Gaelic names incorporating the Gaelic word, "bán," which means "white."

Early Origins of the Whitte family

The surname Whitte was first found in Ireland after the Anglo-Norman invasion of the 12th century, when Walter Whyte is known to have come to Ireland with 'Strongbow'. The earliest bearers of this name settled mostly in counties Down and Sligo (Irish: Sligeach), in the province of Connacht in Northwestern Ireland, where their names became MacWhite, MacFaoitigh, de Faoite and the like.

One of the earliest records of the family was Richard White (died 1367), an Irish judge who held office as Lord Chief Justice of Ireland. He was born at Clongill, near Navan in County Meath where the White family owned Clongill Castle until the seventeenth century.

Early History of the Whitte family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Whitte research. Another 126 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1213, 1414, 1572, 1575, 1584, 1648, 1738, 1820, 1835, 1863, 1893 and 1912 are included under the topic Early Whitte History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Whitte Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Whyte, Wight, Whight, White, MacWhite, MacFaoitigh and many more.

Early Notables of the Whitte family

Another 42 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Whitte Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Whitte migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Whitte Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

John Whitte, who arrived in Maryland in 1665-1666 1

Whitte Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Bess Whitte, aged 21, who landed in New York in 1854 1

The Whitte Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Echel agus coruic
Motto Translation: The axle and coryg.

Citations +

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)