Whitaker Name Origin, Meaning and Family History

Whitaker Name Meaning: Taken from the Anglo-Saxon 'hwitaecer' word meaning 'white acre' or 'white field'.

A name given to someone who lived or worked on cultivated land that grew wheat or grain, was also taken from places named 'whitaker' or similar.

Discover how your Whitaker ancestors earned their living and spread across the country. Find out more about your family history by using the Free Search box.

Surname Distribution

Census frequency by county

Name Concentrations Within England and Wales

Whitaker Surname Statistics


Top Professions for the Whitaker family

Profession Census Frequency
Scholar 1,390
Cotton Weaver 310
Worsted Spinner 94
Worsted Weaver 91
Farmer 80
General Labourer 76
Coal Miner 73
Living On Own Means 67
Living On Her Own Means 62
Dress Maker 60
Domestic Servant 58
House Keeper 47
Labourer 43
Agricultural Labourer 40
Cotton Winder 39
Tailor 36
General Servant Domestic 32
Butcher 29
Tailoress 28
General Servant 27
Grocer 26
Joiner 26
Iron Moulder 25
Clerk 24
Woollen Weaver 21

Whitaker Surname Variants Ranking

Rank Surname Match Census Frequency
1 Whittaker 89% 92,118
2 Whitaker 100% 68,451
3 Whitacre 63% 607
4 Whiteker 88% 348
5 Whiteaker 89% 243
6 Whitker 88% 107

Did you know?

The surname Whitaker is the 2nd most popular variant of Whittaker.

Search for the Whitaker family