Explore the Family Name Whitwell
The meaning of Whitwell
English: habitational name from any of various places called Whitwell, especially those in Westmorland and North Yorkshire, also in Rutland, Norfolk, and Hertfordshire, all named with Old English hwīt ‘white’ + wella ‘well, spring, stream’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Whitwell in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Whitwell has experienced a decrease in popularity. In 2000, it held the rank of 32,529 and fell to 34,618 by 2010, indicating a decline of 6.42%. The count of individuals with this surname also dropped from 666 to 653 over the same period, a decline of about 1.95%. Furthermore, the proportion of people with the Whitwell surname per 100,000 decreased by 12.0%, from 0.25 to 0.22.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #32,529 | #34,618 | -6.42% |
| Count | 666 | 653 | -1.95% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.25 | 0.22 | -12% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Whitwell
In terms of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that the majority of those with the Whitwell surname identify as White, which increased slightly from 93.24% in 2000 to 93.42% in 2010. There was a notable increase in individuals identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native, with a growth of 36.11% over a decade. However, those identifying as Hispanic saw a substantial decrease of 28.67%. Meanwhile, there were no changes observed among those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander or Black, while the percentage of those identifying with two or more races fell by 16.36%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 93.24% | 93.42% | 0.19% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.8% | 2.45% | 36.11% |
| Hispanic | 3% | 2.14% | -28.67% |
| Two or More Races | 1.65% | 1.38% | -16.36% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |