Contents [hide]

Whitehead History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Citations

Whitehead History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

The origins of the Whitehead surname date back to the time of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It comes from an early member of the family who was a whitehaired or fair-haired person. The surname Whitehead is derived from the Old English words hwit, which means white, and heafod, which means head. 1

Early Origins of the Whitehead family

The surname Whitehead 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 Whitehead family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Whitehead 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 Whitehead History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Whitehead Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Whitehead has been spelled many different ways, including Whitehedd, Whited, Whitehead, Whytehead and others.

Early Notables of the Whitehead 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...
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 eigh...
John Whitehead (1630-1696), was an English Quaker, born of Puritan parents at Owstwick in Holderness, Yorkshire
Sir Henry Whitehead (died 1629) was an English politician, High Sheriff of Hampshire (1609), Member of Parliament for Hampshire (1625); Richard Whitehead or Whithed (1594-c 1663), an English politicia...

Whitehead World Ranking

In the United States, the name Whitehead is the 575^th most popular surname with an estimated 49,740 people with that name. 4 However, in Australia, the name Whitehead is ranked the 445^th most popular surname with an estimated 8,449 people with that name. 5 And in New Zealand, the name Whitehead is the 380^th popular surname with an estimated 1,695 people with that name. 6 The United Kingdom ranks Whitehead as 263^rd with 22,839 people. 7

Migration of the Whitehead family to Ireland

Some of the Whitehead 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.

Whitehead migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Whiteheads to arrive in North America:

Whitehead Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Richard Whitehead, who settled in New England in 1630
John Whitehead, who settled in New Haven Conn. in 1630
Daniel Whitehead settled at Hempstead in New York in 1631
Samuel Whitehead, who arrived in Boston aboard the ship "Hector" in 1637 8
Arth Whitehead, who landed in Virginia in 1643 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Whitehead Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Alice Whitehead, who arrived in Virginia in 1701 9
Arthur Whitehead, who arrived in Virginia in 1714 9
John Whitehead, who landed in Charles Town, South Carolina in 1714 9
Thomas Whitehead, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1719-1720 9
Mary Whitehead, who settled in Virginia in 1722
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Whitehead Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Ralph Whitehead, who landed in America in 1804 9
Sol Whitehead, aged 27, who arrived in New York in 1812 9
Christopher Whitehead, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1822 9
Frederick Whitehead, who arrived in Mississippi in 1874 9
Isaiah Whitehead, aged 26, who arrived in Kentucky in 1874 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Whitehead migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Whitehead Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Rumboll Whitehead, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749

Whitehead Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Mr. John Whitehead, aged 30 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Triton" departing 14th May 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 24th July 1847 but he died on board 10

Whitehead migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Whitehead Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Miss Elizabeth Whitehead, British Convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Experiment" on 4th December 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 11
Mr. Andrew Whitehead, British convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 14 years for embezzlement, transported aboard the "Calcutta" in February 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 12
Mr. John Whitehead, British convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years for shop lifting, transported aboard the "Calcutta" in February 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 12
Mr. John Whitehead, British Convict who was convicted in Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Elizabeth" on 11th August 1820, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 13
William Whitehead, English convict from Middlesex, who was transported aboard the "Asia" on April 1st, 1822, settling in New South Wales, Australia 14
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Whitehead 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:

Whitehead Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Thomas Whitehead, who landed in Bay of Islands, New Zealand in 1840
Art Whitehead, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1842 aboard the ship Brougham
A. Whitehead, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Brougham" in 1842
G. Whitehead, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Matoaka" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 26th September 1859 15
F. Whitehead, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Matoaka" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 26th September 1859 15
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Whitehead (post 1700) +

Joseph Whitehead (1864-1906), American lawyer, co-founder of the Coca-Cola Bottling Company
John Cunningham Whitehead (b. 1922), American banker, former chairman of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation
Gustave Whitehead (1874-1927), born Gustav Albin Weisskopf, German-born, American aviation pioneer, who allegedly made the first powered airplane flight in 1901
George William Whitehead (1918-2004), American professor of mathematics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Colson Whitehead (b. 1969), American author, best known for his novel John Henry Days, recipient of the MacArthur Fellowship Award in 2002
Bill Whitehead, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Montana, 1996 ; Candidate in primary for Montana State House of Representatives 31st District, 2010 16
Asa Whitehead, American politician, Delegate to Whig National Convention from New Jersey, 1839 ; Member of New Jersey State Senate from Essex County, 1849-51 16
Alfred K. Whitehead, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from California, 1996, 2000 16
Alfred E. Whitehead, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for New York State Senate 57th District, 1954, 1956 16
A. Carter Whitehead, American politician, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, 1951-53 16
... (Another 75 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Whitehead family +

HMS Hood

Mr. Reginald C Whitehead (b. 1913), English Sergeant serving for the Royal Marine from Willesden, London, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 17

HMS Prince of Wales

Mr. Geoffrey Whitehead, British Able Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 18
Mr. Geoffrey Whitehead, English Petty Officer from England, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 18

RMS Lusitania

Miss Florence Whitehead, English 2nd Class passenger residing in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking by escaping in life boat 13 19

St. Francis Dam

Mrs. Sarah Ann Whitehead, (nee McCuiston), American resident in Santa Clarita killed when the St. Francis Dam failed and flooded the area in 1928

USS Arizona

Mr. Ulmont Irving Whitehead Jr., American Ensign from Connecticut, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 20

The Whitehead 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)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's Retrieved January 6th 2023, retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
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)
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 99)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 22nd March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel-and-experiment
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/calcutta
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 3rd March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elizabeth
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Asia 1 voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1822 with 190 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1822
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 29) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html