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The history of the name Whittelyke begins in the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes in Britain. It was a name for a person with white hair. Looking back further, we find the name Whittelyke was derived from the Old English words whit, meaning white and lock, meaning tress or hair. 1 2
The surname Whittelyke 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
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Whittelyke 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 Whittelyke History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Whittelyke are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Whittelyke include: Whitlock, Whitelock, Witlock and others.
Notables of the family at this time include Edmund Whitelocke (1565-1608), English courtier, born in the parish of St. Gabriel, Fenchurch Street, London, on 10 Feb. 1564, the eldest son of Richard Whitelocke, merchant. His youngest brother, Sir James Whitelocke SL (1570-1632), was an English judge and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1610 and 1622. 7
His son, Sir Bulstrode Whitelocke (1605-1675), was an English lawyer...
Another 69 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Whittelyke Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Whittelyke or a variant listed above: Thomas and Ann Whitlock, who settled in Virginia in 1638; William Whitelock settled in Barbados in 1776.