Question about the surname White?

Question

I've recently been researching my family tree, however, I'm stuck in the late 1700's.

I really want to find out what country my family came from and where the surname "White" originated.

Answer 1

White : origins & meanings:

English, Scottish, and Irish: from Middle English whit ‘white’, hence a nickname for someone with white hair or an unnaturally pale complexion. In some cases it represents a Middle English personal name, from an Old English byname, Hwīt(a), of this origin. As a Scottish and Irish surname it has been widely used as a translation of the many Gaelic names based on bán ‘white’ or fionn ‘fair’ There has also been some confusion with Wight.

Translated form of cognate and equivalent names in other languages, such as German Weiss, French Blanc, Polish Białas etc.

Peregrine White (1620–1704), brother of Resolved, was born in Cape Cod harbor on board the Mayflower, thus becoming the first child of English descent to be born in New England. His father, William White, was the son of the rector of Barham, near Ipswich, Suffolk, England; he died in 1621 during the first winter at Plymouth Colony.

Answer 2

My Sister in Laws maiden name is White and It is an English name according to her! Check out the White Family Tree at the Library! Hope this helps!

Answer 3

Following repeated invasions by Edward I of England, there was a policy of removing names from those individuals who caused trouble under the 'prima nocturne' / first night rapes by 'nobles'.

As the children would, under English law be 'bast*rd', the Scottish took their ancient practice of keeping the maternal line within their name. To confuse the English (and it still works!) they have so called double barrelled names - without the hyphen...

English always chose the last name, the Scottish mothers line is kept as the first part.

When the Highland Clearances (Scottish Gaelic: Fuadaich nan Gàidheal, the expulsion of the Gael)  took place, in 1700's, again the English wanted to break the strong traditions of Clan culture and tartans. Everyone was removed and renamed for even the slightest misdemeanor. Ethnic cleansing by the English!

If you ever wondered why there are so many Scots abroad, this is one of the main reasons.

Despite all this, most traditional Scots still know their own heritage, thanks to the practice of keeping the maternal line. This also does away with any stigma which the English wanted to attach to the children.

This is another source of the names: White, Black, Brown, Green - White being reserved  for the worst troublemakers.

Hope this helps.

The Spanish also have a similar practice for keeping the maternal line.

Answer 4

Surname: White

Recorded as White, Wight, Whyte, and the unusual Whight, this is an English surname of the most ancient origins. It has a number of possible origins. In the single spellings of White or Wita, it appears in the very earliest surviving registers such as the famous Anglo-Saxon Chronicles of the pre 9th century a.d. Whilst translating as white, the early name referred either to a baby, one who was "unblemished", or it may have been for some nameholders an ethnic term given to a Viking or Anglo-Saxon, who were pale in hair and complexion compared with the original native Celts, who were dark. Another possible origin is residential. If so this could describe somebody who lived at a "wiht", generally regarded as being the bend of a river, but in some areas of the country could describe a stretch of land suitable for grazing. It could also mean "The wait", as in the village name of White in Devon, which originally, it is claimed, denoted a place suitable for an ambush! Lastly the name can be Huguenot 17th century. Many French people called 'Blanc' fled France after 1685, and in England they changed their name to White. Early examples of the surname recording taken from surving charters and egisters include: Ordgar se Wite of Somerset in the year 1070, Walter le Wytte in London in 1284, and William le Wytt, in the Subsidy Rolls of York in 1327. Amongst many interesting recordings is that of William White, who sailed on the famous ship "Mayflower" in 1620. Sadly he lived only a short time and was recorded as being buried at "Elizabeth Cittie, Virginea" in 1624. The Ancient and Feudal Arms of England show that a Sir John White (also spelt Whyght) in the time of King Edward 11 (1307-1327), was listed as having fought at the battle of Boroughbridge in Yorkshire 1322, when the Scots were defeated. The first recorded spelling of the family name is believed to be that of Alwin Wit. This was dated 1086, in the Domesday Book for Hampshire, during the reign of King William 1, known as "The Conqueror", 1066 - 1087.