Explore the Family Name Whitlock
The meaning of Whitlock
English: 1. nickname for someone with white or fair hair, from Middle English whit ‘white’ + lock ‘lock (of hair)’ (Old English loc). Compare Sherlock. 2. from the Middle English personal name Whitlak (Old English Wihtlāc, from wiht ‘creature’ + lāc ‘sport, game’). 3. habitational name from the Whitelake river near Pilton (Somerset), apparently named with Old English hwīt ‘white’ + lacu ‘stream’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Whitlock in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Whitlock has seen a small change over a decade. The ranking of this surname fell from 2003 in 2000 to 2142 in 2010, showing a decrease by 6.94%. However, the count of people carrying the Whitlock surname increased slightly from 16,603 in 2000 to 16,927 in 2010, marking an increase of 1.95%. The proportion of people with this surname per 100,000 also experienced a decline, dropping from 6.15 in 2000 to 5.74 in 2010, a decrease of 6.67%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,003 | #2,142 | -6.94% |
| Count | 16,603 | 16,927 | 1.95% |
| Proportion per 100k | 6.15 | 5.74 | -6.67% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Whitlock
In terms of the ethnicity of those with the Whitlock surname, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows some shifts. The percentage identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic saw increases from 2000 to 2010, rising by 35.29% and 35.66% respectively. The individuals identifying with two or more ethnicities also had an increase of 19.46%. The largest group, those identifying as White, experienced a slight decrease from 80.96% in 2000 to 79.54% in 2010. Those identifying as Black saw a minor increase from 15.20% to 15.71%. Lastly, those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native recorded a marginal drop from 0.58% to 0.56%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 80.96% | 79.54% | -1.75% |
| Black | 15.2% | 15.71% | 3.36% |
| Hispanic | 1.43% | 1.94% | 35.66% |
| Two or More Races | 1.49% | 1.78% | 19.46% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.58% | 0.56% | -3.45% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.34% | 0.46% | 35.29% |
Whitlock ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Whitlock is British & Irish, which comprises 57.6% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (21.4%) and Scandinavian (4.5%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Nigerian, Spanish & Portuguese, Italian, and Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 57.6% |
| French & German | 21.4% |
| Scandinavian | 4.5% |
| Other | 16.6% |
Possible origins of the surname Whitlock
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Whitlock have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 87.30% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 87.30% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 87.30% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 87.00% |
| Lancashire, United Kingdom | 87.00% |
What Whitlock haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Whitlock is R-L20, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-L20 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include I-Z58 and R-L664, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Dexter, Britton, Hearn, Mercier, Brittain, Laney, Newport, Waldron, Lively, Romo.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Whitlock surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Whitlock have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Whitlock" Surname 44.3%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Whitlock" Surname 33.3%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Whitlock" Surname 18.8%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Whitlock" Surname 22.3%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Whitlock?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Whitlock are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition