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White

What does the name White mean?

White is a common surname across England, Scotland and Ireland, with examples dating back to the Saxon era. It's the seventeenth most popular name in England, and the twenty second most common in the United States. The surname White has a number of supposed origins. Most often it is a descriptive name relating to someone with white or blonde hair, clothing or complexion. In Scotland, it can also be an anglicisation of the Gaelic 'MacGillebhain', meaning 'son of the fair Gillie'. Irish versions of the name White can sometimes derive from the Irish Gaelic 'Mac Faoitigh' or 'de Faoite'. More rarely, White can also be a local surname, relating to someone coming from the Isle of Wight, off the coast of Hampshire.

The earliest occurrence of the White surname in our family history documents is from 1393, and we currently have 6,194,470 records where White appears.

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Typical jobs for Whites

Typical jobs for Whites

Hard-working people, the Whites. 5810 worked in domestic service, according to the 1901 Census.

Where most Whites lived

Where most Whites lived

In the 1900s, you’d probably bump into a White in London.

Whites’ criminal history

Whites’ criminal history

How do we put this... Not all Whites were angels, apparently. We found 8544 in criminal records.

Whites in World War I

Whites in World War I

According to the World War I records, 7865 Whites served in the First World War.

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