WHITING
Whiting is an English surname that originated in the British Isles. The name is recorded in the Domesday Book and is associated with the Christian population of England.
The derivation of the surname is two‑fold. In Middle English the word whit meant “white”, and the surname was frequently applied as a nickname to a person with fair or light‑coloured hair or complexion. In a separate tradition the name is a patronymic derived from the Old English personal name Hwita, which translates as “the white one”. Both origins point to an appearance or characteristic that was considered distinctive.
Evidence of the surname dates back to the late 11th century. The earliest recorded spelling is that of Roger Witenc, dated 1084 in the “Geld Roll of Somerset” during the reign of King William the Conqueror (1066–1087). Subsequent entries include John Witinge (1128–1134) in the Cartularium Monasterii and William Whiting (1197) in the Pipe Rolls of Buckinghamshire.
Throughout the Middle Ages and early modern period the surname appeared in a number of variant forms, some of which were Whiteing, Whitting and Witting. These variants reflect regional pronunciation and scribal differences in the medieval period.
Church records document members of the family in London between the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Rachell, daughter of Roger Whiting, was christened on 28 May 1579 at St. Thomas the Apostle, London. Sara, daughter of Robert Whiting, was christened on 15 December 1605 at St. Andrew Undershaft, London.
The surname also spread beyond the British Isles through emigration. One well‑documented example is John Whiting, aged 22, who was recorded as a famine emigrant and departed Liverpool aboard the ship Isabella, bound for New York, on 11 September 1846.
The heraldic arms granted to the Whiting family are described as follows: a blue shield with a leopard’s gold face between two flaunches ermine, chief bearing three plates. The crest features a demi‑eagle displayed with two heads in natural colour.
Today, Whiting remains a relatively common surname in England and has spread to other English‑speaking countries through continued migration and settlement.
Typical given names associated with the Whiting surname
Male
- Andrew
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Richard
- Stephen
Female
- Deborah
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Helen
- Jane
- Julie
- Lisa
- Margaret
- Mary
- Patricia
- Rebecca
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Waiting
- Whatting
- Wheating
- Whiteing
- Whithing
- Whitin
- Whitine
- Whitingham
- Whitings
- Whitington
- Whitling
- Whitning
- Whittin
- Whitting
- Whittingback
- Whittingdale
- Whittinger
- Whittingham
- Whittinghan
- Whittinghorne
- Whittingon
- Whittingslow
- Whittington
- Whyting
- Wieting
- Wighting
- Witeing
- Withing
- Witing
- Witingham
- Wittin
- Witting
- Wittingham
- Wittington
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Whiting in...
Braille
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Morse
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Semaphore
Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Whiting are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Custard Cream.
There are approximately 12,169 people named Whiting in the UK. That makes it the 747th most common surname in Britain. Around 187 in a million people in Britain are named Whiting.
Surname type: Location or geographical feature
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Whiting
- Roy Whiting - Murderer
- Leonard Whiting - Actor
- Charlie Whiting - Formula One race director (1952 to 2019)
- Charles Whiting - Writer and historian (1926 to 2007)
- John Whiting - Actor, dramatist and critic (1917 to 1963)
- William Whiting - Poet and hymnwriter (1825 to 1878)
- Walter Whiting - Cricketer (1888 to 1952)
- Norman Whiting - Cricketer (1920 to 2014)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.