Show ContentsHite History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Hite family

The surname Hite was first found in Derbyshire, where the name appeared in the late 13th century. The Hite name, like many surnames, is probably topographical in origin, referring to someone who lived at the height, or summit of a hill. Another possibility is that the name referred to a characteristic of its first bearer, in this case probably the fact that he was tall.

Early History of the Hite family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hite research. Another 63 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1275 and 1279 are included under the topic Early Hite History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hite Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Height, Hite, Hight, Hyte and others.

Early Notables of the Hite family

More information is included under the topic Early Hite Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hite Ranking

In the United States, the name Hite is the 2,681st most popular surname with an estimated 12,435 people with that name. 1


Hite migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Hite or a variant listed above:

Hite Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Jost Hite, who arrived in New York in 1710 2
  • Peter Hite, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1733 2
  • Anna Elisabeth Hite, aged 3, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1733 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Hite (post 1700) +

  • Shere Hite (1942-2020), American-born German sex educator and feminist
  • William Francis Hite (1867-1930), American Republican politician, Mayor of Huntington, West Virginia, 1897-98; Delegate to Republican National Convention from West Virginia, 1908, 1920; Bank director 3
  • William Hite, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Ohio State House of Representatives from Greene County, 1897 3
  • Levi Hite (b. 1825), American politician, Delegate to Nevada State Constitutional Convention, 1863
  • Richard Hite, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Colorado, 1964 3
  • John L. Hite, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Pennsylvania, 1944, 1948 3
  • Jack D. Hite, American Republican politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from California 4th District, 1986 3
  • Harold Hite (b. 1938), American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Oklahoma, 2004 3
  • Carlos Hite, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Indiana, 1952 3
  • Boone D. Hite, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Oklahoma, 1912 (speaker) 3
  • ... (Another 15 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


Suggested Readings for the name Hite +

  • Jost Hite-From the Neckar to the Shenandoah by Ralph Connor.
  • German Origins of Jost Hite, Virginia Pioneer, 1685-1761 by Henry Z. Jones.

  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. 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)
  3. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, November 24) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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