Whitten History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Early Origins of the Whitten family
The surname Whitten was first found in various shires throughout ancient Britain. The name Whitton literally means "white farmstead," or "farmstead of a man called Hwita," from the Old English words "hwit," + "tun. 1 2
Witton which is a phonetic match, is similarly found throughout England. In this case, the name literally means "farmstead in or near a wood." 1 While the parish names are different, family records typically are scattered in both places, thanks to the ancient spellings that were in use. By example, "Witton, Worcestershire, was Wytton in the 14th century, Witune and Witone [were listed ] in Domesday Book., Wittun A.D. 972, Wittona A.D. 716. The Warwickshire place, Wytton in the 14th cent., was Witone in Domesday Book. Witton, Northwich, was Wytton in the 14th cent. The Lancashire township was Wytton in the 13th cent. The Yorkshire Wittons were Witun in Domesday Book. Witton Gilbert, Durham, was Wittone in the 14th cent., Witton in the 12th century. But Witton-le-Wear, Durham, was Wotton as well as Witton in the 14th cent., apparently the Wuduton [Old English wudu, wiodu, a wood, forest] of Symeon of Durham." 3
There is some evidence that the name may be Norman in origin as the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae lists Robert Witon in Normandy 1180-1195. 4
"There are parishes in Lincoln, Durham, Hereford, Northumberland, Salop (Shropshire) and Suffolk." 5
In Chagford, Devon, "the Whyddons the most notable was the eminent judge, Sir John, Serjeant-at-Law under Edward VI., and Judge of the Queen's Bench in the first year of Mary. He died January 27, 1575, and his monument forms one of the leading features of Chagford Church. Whyddon Park is a stretch of broken shaggy moorland hillside descending to the Teign. " 6
In Scotland, the lands of Whitton, in Morebattle parish were found in Roxburghshire. "Several individuals between 1165 and 1306 appear to have derived their surname from the lands of Whitton." 7 John Wytton was prior of St. Andrews in 1285 A.D., Michael and Adam Wytton both rendered homage to King Edward I of England in his brief conquest of Scotland in 1296. Richard de Wyttone, persone of the church of Hauwyk, also rendered homage in the same year. Michael was chief forester of the Forest of Selkirk in 1303. His seal showed a deer running. Richard Wyttone, a dignitary of the Church also rendered homage. David Qwitton was juror on an inquest at Roxburgh in 1361. Michael de Witton and Adam de Wytton of Selkirkshire rendered homage in 1296 (Bain, II, p. 198), and Thomas de Wytton had protection for two years for going on the king of England's service beyond seas, 1370. 7
Early History of the Whitten family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Whitten research. Another 82 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1165, 1303, 1370, 1400, 1576, 1585, 1588, 1595, 1635 and 1704 are included under the topic Early Whitten History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Whitten Spelling Variations
Spelling variations of this family name include: Whitton, Whitten, Whytten, Whytton, Wytton, Wytten, Witten, Witton, Wyton and many more.
Early Notables of the Whitten family
Notable amongst the family name during their early history was Michael Whitton, Chief Forester of the Kings Forest of Selkirk in 1303. 7
Sir John Whiddon (d. 1576), was an English judge, the eldest son of John Whiddon of Chagford in Devonshire, where his family had long been established. 8
Jacob Whiddon (fl. 1585-1595), was an English sea-captain, "a trusted servant and follower of Sir Walter Raleigh (Ralegh), who speaks of him as 'a man most valiant and honest,' seems to have been with Sir Richard...
Another 84 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Whitten Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Whitten Ranking
In the United States, the name Whitten is the 1,810th most popular surname with an estimated 17,409 people with that name. 9 However, in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Whitten is ranked the 331st most popular surname with an estimated 138 people with that name. 10
Whitten migration to the United States +
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Whitten Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- John Whitten, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1818 11
- D Whitten, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 11
- Charles Whitten, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1855 11
- Andrew Whitten, aged 66, who landed in America from Armagh, in 1893
- C. W. Whitten, aged 30, who landed in America, in 1895
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Whitten Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
- Clark Whitten, aged 31, who immigrated to the United States, in 1907
- James Whitten, aged 36, who immigrated to the United States from Cardross, Scotland, in 1907
- Horace Whitten, aged 34, who immigrated to America from Kent, England, in 1908
- Carlie Whitten, aged 21, who immigrated to the United States from Southampton, England, in 1910
- Alfred Whitten, aged 33, who immigrated to America from Buckingham, England, in 1910
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Whitten migration to Canada +
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Whitten Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
Whitten Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century
- Mr. Whitten, aged 28, who settled in Newfoundland, in 1914
- H. Whitten, aged 34, who immigrated to St. John's, Newfoundland, in 1919
- Harry Whitten, aged 34, who immigrated to St. John's, Newfoundland, in 1919
Whitten migration to Australia +
Emigration to
Australia followed the
First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:
Whitten Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
- Mr. William Whitten, (b. 1826), aged 19, English cooper who was convicted in London, England for 10 years for coining, transported aboard the "Equestrian" on 30th June 1845, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Island) 13
- Mr. James Whitten, (b. 1835), aged 22, Cornish labourer departing from Plymouth on 18th April 1857 aboard the ship "Persia" arriving in Geelong, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on 27th July 1857 14
- Mrs. Ann Whitten, (b. 1825), aged 32, Cornish settler departing from Plymouth on 18th April 1857 aboard the ship "Persia" arriving in Geelong, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on 27th July 1857 14
Whitten migration to New Zealand +
Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:
Whitten Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
- James Whitten, who arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand aboard the ship "Blue Jacket" in 1865
- Miss Elizabeth Whitten, (b. 1845), aged 21, British domestic servant travelling from London aboard the ship "John Temperley" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st June 1866 15
- Miss Elizabeth Whitten, (b. 1826), aged 40, British domestic servant travelling from London aboard the ship 'Mermaid' arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 5th January 1867 15
- John Whitten, aged 22, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Alumbagh" in 1875 15
Contemporary Notables of the name Whitten (post 1700) +
- Leslie Hunter "Les" Whitten Jr. (1928-2017), American investigative reporter and novelist
- Jack Whitten (1939-2018), American abstract painter awarded a National Medal of Arts in 2016
- Marguerite Whitten (1913-1990), American film actress who appeared in 14 films between 1938 and 1943
- John Moss Whitten (1920-2000), American Central Intelligence Agency officer, known under the pseudonym John Scelso; he was awarded the Distinguished Intelligence Medal in 1970
- Greg Whitten (b. 1979), American former chief software architect at Microsoft, some believe "GWBasic" was derived from his initials
- Deborah "Deb" Whitten (b. 1966), Canadian bronze medalist field hockey goalkeeper at the 1995 Pan American Games
- Charles William "C. W." Whitten (1871-1957), American educator and athletic administrator
- Cameron Whitten (b. 1991), American community activist and hunger striker
- Benoni Whitten (b. 1883), American attorney and jurist, 19th Associate Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court in 1870
- Daniel Ray "Danny" Whitten (1943-1972), American musician and songwriter
- ... (Another 14 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Citations +
- Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
- Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
- Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
- The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- Worth, R.N., A History of Devonshire London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.G., 1895. Digital
- 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
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
- 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)
- Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
- Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 9th May 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/equestrian
- Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_australia_victoria.pdf
- New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html