White History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The bearers of White and its variants are generally thought to have come from the noble family of Le Blancs in Normandy, who traveled to England in the wake of the Norman Conquest. Although the name certainly came to Britain from Normandy, there is some speculation that it already existed in Britain prior to the conquest. The word “white” itself is derived from the Old English word “hwit.” This name was most likely originally used as a nickname for a person with white hair or a pale complexion.

Early Origins of the White family

The surname White was first found in Durham, but we must look to South Warnborough in Southampton for one of the most interesting stories about the family. “The church is very ancient, with a fine Norman arch at the entrance; in the chancel is a curious monument to Sir Thomas White and his family. Tradition says that Queen Elizabeth, when residing at Odiham, rode over to the manor-house here, and after partaking of breakfast with the above-mentioned Thomas White, knighted him in his own saloon.” [1]

White Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: White, Whyte, Wight and others.

Early Notables of the White family (pre 1700)

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was John White (c.1585), an English painter and cartographer who was sent to Roanoke Island (now in North Carolina) as artist, mapmaker, and later as governor; Andrew White (1579-1656), a Jesuit theology professor who went to Maryland as the head of a band of missionaries; Thomas White (1593-1676), an English Roman Catholic priest and scholar, known as a theologian, censured by the Inquisition.

White World Ranking

In the United States, the name White is the 14^th most popular surname with an estimated 693,873 people with that name. [2] However, in Canada, the name White is ranked the 21^stmost popular surname with an estimated 56,772 people with that name. [3] And in Quebec, Canada, the name White is the 579^th popular surname. [4] Newfoundland, Canada ranks White as 1^st with 1,835 people. [5] Australia ranks White as 9^th with 64,439 people. [6] New Zealand ranks White as 15^th with 6,311 people. [7] The United Kingdom ranks White as 15^th with 131,849 people. [8] South Africa ranks White as 549^th with 12,753 people. [9]

 Migration of the White family to Ireland

Some of the White family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.

 White migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were: 

White Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

• Mr. William White, who arrived in Jamestown, Virginia aboard the ship “Discovery” in 1607 [10]
• Mr. Edward White, who arrived in Virginia in 1619 aboard the ship “Bona Nova” [10]
• Mr. William White, (c. 1586- 1621), who arrived in Plymouth in 1620 aboard the ship “Mayflower” [10]
• Mrs. Susanna White, (nee Jackson), (b. 1592), who arrived in Plymouth in 1620 aboard the ship “Mayflower”, died between 1654 – 1674 [10]
• Mr. Resolved White, (1615-1690), who arrived in Plymouth in 1620 aboard the ship “Mayflower” [10]

White Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

• George White, who landed in North Carolina in 1701 [11]
• Abigail White, who landed in North Carolina in 1701 [11]
• Adam White, who arrived in Virginia in 1703 [11]
• Dennis White, who arrived in Virginia in 1714 [11]
• Claude White, who landed in Massachusetts in 1755-1768 [11]

White Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

• Alice White, aged 50, who landed in New York, NY in 1804 [11]
• Catherine White, aged 22, who arrived in New York, NY in 1804 [11]
• Eleanor White, aged 18, who arrived in New York, NY in 1804 [11]
• Donald White, who arrived in North Carolina in 1811 [11]
• Archibald White, aged 36, who landed in Maine in 1812 [11]

White Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

• Miss Jane White, aged 18, British settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship “Cynosure” in 1863

 White migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were: 

White Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century

• Peter White, who settled in Witless Bay, Newfoundland in 1676 [12]

White Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

• Arthur White, who arrived in Ferryland, Newfoundland in 1706 [12]
• Ann White, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750
• Elizabeth White, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750
• Mary White, who settled in Nova Scotia in 1774
• Mr. Amos White U.E. who settled in Bell Vue, Beaver Harbor, Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1783 [13]

White Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

• Margaret White, who settled in Quebec in 1829
• Elijah D White, who landed in Canada in 1831
• Michael White, aged 26, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the ship “Hibernia” from Kinsale, Ireland
• Catherine White, aged 24, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the ship “Hibernia” from Kinsale, Ireland
• Ellen White, aged 26, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the ship “Britannia” from Sligo, Ireland

 White migration to Australia+

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: 

White Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century

• Mr. John White, English convict who was convicted in London, England for life, transported aboard the “Barwell” in September 1797, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [14]

White Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

• Mr. Edward White, Irish convict who was convicted in Kilkenny, Ireland for 7 years, transported aboard the “Atlas” on 29th November 1801, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [15]
• Mr. James White, Irish convict who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for life, transported aboard the “Atlas” on 29th November 1801, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [15]
• Mr. John White, Irish convict who was convicted in Kilkenny, Ireland for 7 years, transported aboard the “Atlas” on 29th November 1801, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [15]
• Miss Catherine White, (Perkins, McMahon), (b. 1780), aged 23, British Convict who was convicted in Hampshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the “Experiment” on 4th December 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, she died in 1860 [16]
• Mr. Richard White, English convict who was convicted in Hertford, Hertfordshire, Englandfor life, transported aboard the “Duke of Portland” in January 1807, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [17]

 White migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include: 

White Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

• John White, who landed in Bay of Islands, New Zealand in 1834 aboard the ship Murray
• W White, who landed in Hokianga, New Zealand in 1834
• Henry White, who landed in Hokianga, New Zealand in 1839
• Francis White, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1840
• George White, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840 aboard the ship Aurora

 White migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960’s many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. [18]

White Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

• Mr. William White, (b. 1604), aged 30, British settler travelling from London, UK arriving in St Christopher (St. Kitts) on 5th January 1634 [11]
• Mr. Michell White, (b. 1616), aged 18, British settler travelling from London, UK arriving in St Christopher (St. Kitts) on 5th January 1634 [11]
• Mr. John White, (b. 1607), aged 27, British settler travelling from London, UK arriving in St Christopher (St. Kitts) on 5th January 1634 [11]
• Mr. George White, (b. 1607), aged 27, British settler travelling from London, UK arriving in St Christopher (St. Kitts) on 5th January 1634 [11]
• Mr. George White, (b. 1617), aged 18, British settler travelling from London, England aboard the ship “Alexander” arriving in Barbados in 1635 [19]

White Settlers in West Indies in the 18th Century

• Ellinor White, who landed in Barbados in 1738 [11]

Contemporary Notables of the name White (post 1700) +

• Betty Marion White Ludden (1922-2021), American five time Primetime Emmy Award, two Daytime Emmy Award winning actress and comedian, her career spanned seven decades, the first woman to produce a sitcom (Life with Elizabeth), which contributed to her being named honorary Mayor of Hollywood in 1955, best known for her roles as Sue Ann Nivens on the CBS sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1973–1977), Rose Nylund on the NBC sitcom The Golden Girls (1985–1992), and Elka Ostrovsky on the TV Land sitcom Hot in Cleveland (2010–2015), inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1995
• Byron Raymond “Whizzer” White (1917-2002), American Rhodes Scholar, associate justice of the Supreme Court, and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom [20]
• Elwyn Brooks “E.B.” White (1899-1985), American essayist/children’s novelist awarded a special citation in 1978 by the Pulitzer Prize board and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom
• Vanna Marie White (b. 1957), née Rosich, an American television personality and game-show hostess, best known as the co-host of the game show Wheel of Fortune since 1982
• Dean V. White (1923-2016), American billionaire entrepreneur, born in Norfolk, Nebraska
• Bruce W. White (1952-2023), American businessman and founder of the hotel management company White Lodging, son of billionaire businessman Dean White
• Charles Raymond White (1958-2023), American NFL football running back who played for nine seasons during the 1980s, inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
• Fred E. White (1955-2023), born Frederick Eugene Adams, an American musician and songwriter, member of Earth, Wind & Fire, inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000
• Ted White (1926-2022), stage name of Alex Bayouth, an American stuntman and actor, best known for playing Jason Voorhees in Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter
• Stephen Gregory White (1973-2022), American sports blogger and professional American football player who played defensive end for seven seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New York Jets