Whytehedd History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

The name Whytehedd comes from a name for a whitehaired or fair-haired person. The surname Whytehedd is derived from the Old English words hwit, which means white, and heafod, which means head. 1

Early Origins of the Whytehedd family

The surname Whytehedd was first found in Lancashire and "especially in North England. " 2

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included two entries for the family with very early spellings: Roger Witheyed, Huntingdonshire; and William Witheyed, Cambridgeshire. And in Yorkshire, the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed Adam Whiteheued; Johannes Whittehed; and Robertus Qwytheued. 2

Further to the north in Scotland, the first record of the family was "Adam Whytehevde de Hoton, juror on inquisition before the sheriff of Berwick, 1300. " 3

Early History of the Whytehedd family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Whytehedd research. Another 121 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1300, 1423, 1485, 1492, 1519, 1523, 1540, 1541, 1551, 1557, 1571, 1585, 1594, 1609, 1625, 1628, 1629, 1630, 1636, 1653, 1660, 1661, 1663, 1672, 1684, 1696 and 1723 are included under the topic Early Whytehedd History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Whytehedd Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Whytehedd include Whitehedd, Whited, Whitehead, Whytehead and others.

Early Notables of the Whytehedd family

Notables of the family at this time include David Whithead (1492?-1571), English divine, born about 1492, a native of Hampshire (Wood), where the Whiteheads had some landed property. "His contemporary, Hugh Whitehead (d. 1551), with whom David has been confused, belonged to a Durham branch of the family, was from 1519 to 1540 last prior, and from 1541 first dean of Durham. " 4 George Whitehead (1636?-1723), was an English Quaker, born at Sun Bigs, parish of Orton, Westmorland. From 1661 to 1672 Whitehead spent most of his time in prison. He died on 8 March 1723, in his eighty-seventh...
Another 98 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Whytehedd Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Whytehedd family to Ireland

Some of the Whytehedd family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 32 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Whytehedd family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Whytehedd or a variant listed above: Daniel Whitehead settled at Hempstead in New York in 1631; Richard Whitehead settled in New England in 1630; John Whitehead settled in New Haven Conn. in 1630.

The Whytehedd 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: Dum spiro spero
Motto Translation: While I have breath I hope.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. 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)
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)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print