Whitley Name Origin, Meaning and Family History

Whitley Name Meaning: Originates from the Anglo-Saxon word 'hwit', meaning white and 'leah'meaning a wood clearing.

The surname Whitley was first seen after the Norman Conquest and would have been given to someone who had lived or was associated with one of the numerous settlements with this name. The settlements themselves receiving the name after them consisting of a clearing in a wood or a thin wood/meadow.

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Surname Distribution

Census frequency by county

Name Concentrations Within England and Wales

Whitley Surname Statistics


Top Professions for the Whitley family

Profession Census Frequency
Scholar 556
General Labourer 38
Coal Miner 36
Worsted Weaver 31
Agricultural Labourer 29
Dress Maker 26
Labourer 26
Domestic Servant 23
General Servant 17
No Occupation 15
Worsted Spinner 14
Grocer 13
Woollen Weaver 13
Joiner 12
Tailor 12
Cotton Weaver 12
General Servant Domestic 12
Collier 12
Annuitant 10
Carpenter 9
Laundress 9
Warehouseman 9
Painter 8
Charwoman 8
Stone Mason 7

Whitley Surname Variants Ranking

Rank Surname Match Census Frequency
1 Wheatley 75% 43,277
2 Whiteley 88% 39,129
3 Whitley 100% 21,987
4 Whatley 86% 8,924
5 Wheatly 57% 3,317
6 Whitely 71% 3,217
7 Whateley 75% 1,132
8 Whittley 88% 684
9 Witley 86% 550
10 Whitly 86% 503
11 Whately 57% 313
12 Whetley 86% 178
13 Wheetley 75% 138
14 Whatly 71% 111

Did you know?

The surname Whitley is the 3rd most popular variant of Wheatley.

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