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Whitbourn Family History

Whitbourn Surname Meaning

from Whitbourne (Herefs) or from some other minor place named as ‘the white stream’ (Old English hwīt + burna). Some of the post-medieval bearers below may belong under (2) or (3).

perhaps from Whitburn (Durham) which is recorded as Witeburne in 1243, Wyteberne in 1292, and Whittebarn' in 1439. The place-name derives from Old English hwīt ‘white’ + bern ‘barn’.

However, it is possible that the early bearer belongs under (1). possibly meaning ‘fair child’ from Middle English whit barne though it is possible that the early bearers below belong under (2).

Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, 2016


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Where is the Whitbourn family from?

You can see how Whitbourn families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Whitbourn family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Scotland between 1861 and 1891. The most Whitbourn families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 44 Whitbourn families living in Sussex. This was about 42% of all the recorded Whitbourn's in United Kingdom. Sussex had the highest population of Whitbourn families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Whitbourn surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Whitbourn ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Shopkeeper (butcher) and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Whitbourn. 50% of Whitbourn men worked as a Shopkeeper (butcher) and 89% of Whitbourn women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Whitbourn were Private Means and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Whitbourn | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Shopkeeper (butcher)
    50%
  • Private Means
    50%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    89%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Domestic Duties
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    4%

What Whitbourn family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Whitbourn. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Whitbourn census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Whitbourn

Passenger Lists

There are 179 immigration records available for the last name Whitbourn. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Whitbourn immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 119 military records available for the last name Whitbourn. For the veterans among your Whitbourn ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Whitbourn military records

You've only scratched the surface of Whitbourn family history

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What is the average Whitbourn lifespan?

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Whitbourn ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Whitbourn

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