Origins of the White surname

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.

Alternative variations of the name White

White, Whyte, Whyt, Wight, Whit