White
The origin of the surname White
White described someone with fair hair or a pale complexion.
What kind of surname is White?
As a descriptive surname (or nickname name), the surname White arose from a personal characteristic — a physical trait, a quality of temperament, or a distinguishing feature of its first bearer. Communities have always coined nicknames, and in the age before fixed surnames these vivid, affectionate or teasing labels — referring to hair colour, stature, complexion or character — frequently became hereditary. Descriptive surnames give an unusually human glimpse of an ancestor, hinting at how they looked or how they were regarded by the people around them.
How English surnames work
English surnames became hereditary between roughly the 12th and 15th centuries and fall into four great classes: occupational (Smith, Baker, Wright), locational (Hill, Wood, Preston), patronymic (Johnson, Wilson, Richardson) and descriptive nicknames (Brown, Long, Little). Many were shaped by both Anglo-Saxon and Norman-French influence, and a great number spread worldwide through emigration and empire, which is why English surnames are among the most common family names across the English-speaking world.
Variants & spellings
- Whyte
Frequently asked questions
What does the surname White mean?
The surname White means Fair-haired or pale. White described someone with fair hair or a pale complexion.
Where does the surname White come from?
White is a surname of English origin.
What kind of surname is White?
White is a descriptive surname, originally describing a physical or personal characteristic.
How common is the surname White in the United States?
White is the 20th most common surname in the United States (2010 U.S. Census), recorded for about 639,515 people.