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Whits Family History

Whits Name Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: White, Whitt, Whitis, Whitus, Waits, Whites, Weith, Weiss, Hils

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Whits family from?

You can see how Whits families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Whits family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Whits families were found in Canada in 1911. In 1840 there were 2 Whits families living in Mississippi. This was about 50% of all the recorded Whits's in USA. Mississippi had the highest population of Whits families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Whits surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Whits ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Cook were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Whits. 28% of Whits men worked as a Laborer and 16% of Whits women worked as a Cook. Some less common occupations for Americans named Whits were Salesman and Housework. .

View Census Data for Whits | 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 1940

  • Laborer
    28%
  • Farmer
    16%
  • Truck Driver
    10%
  • Salesman
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Cook
    16%
  • Housekeeper
    16%
  • Maid
    16%
  • Housework
    11%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Whits family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Whits. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Whits census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Whits

Passenger Lists

There are 364 immigration records available for the last name Whits. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Whits immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 469 military records available for the last name Whits. For the veterans among your Whits ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Whits military records

You've only scratched the surface of Whits family history

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What is the average Whits lifespan?

Average Whits life expectancy in 2003 was 37 years. This was lower than the general public life expectancy which was 74.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Whits

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Whits family tree

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