Whitten-origin-location.gif

Whitten Name Study

Privacy Level: Open (White)

Surnames/tags: Whitten Whitton Whidden
Profile managers: Chris Whitten private message [send private message] and One Name Studies WikiTree private message [send private message]
This page has been accessed 19,667 times.


Whitten, Whitton, Whidden Name Study

The mission of the project is to add and improve profiles of all Whittens. Project members take primary responsibility for relevant profiles or family groups and work on merging duplicates, cleaning up profiles, adding sources, removing incorrect information and offering research assistance as needed.

Contents

Meaning of Last Name 'Whitton'

The last name Whitten comes from a more common alternate spelling: Whitton. Its first recorded use as a surname seems to be in 1165. It was used to refer to someone from an area called Whitton in Morebattle in the Scotland border area.

The area name itself comes from the Old English words "Hwita" or "Whit" (i.e. the color white, which was used as a personal name) and the suffix "ten" or "ton" or "tun" (i.e., a settlement or town). Therefore, the name could be roughly translated as "someone from Hwita's settlement" or "a person from White's town".

Variations

"In the early records (of the US) the surname Whitten is spelled Wheeton. Whetton, Wheeden, Whiten, Whiton, Whiting. Whitin, Whitton. Whyton and Wyton, and several of these forms survive to the present time. The relationship of the various immigrants from which the Whitin, Whiting, Whiton, Wheaton, Weadon, Wheadon, and Whitten families descend, is not known, but all were English and the surname is of ancient English origin. Doubtless there were branches of the family also in Ireland and Scotland. According to tradition there were three brothers of the Whitten family early settlers in New Hampshire, Samuel, Thomas, and John Whitten, or Whidden. In 1671 John and Samuel Whitten (or Whidden) were members of the church at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and contributed to the fund for the maintenance of Rev. Mr. Moody."[1]

"By checking various indices of surnames of colonial American families and seeing how “Whiting,” ‘Whiton,” “Whiten,” “Whittin,” “Whetten,” “Witon,” “Whitten,” and even “Whitney” often were used in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in reference to the very same name...[2]

See also:

Whitten Demographics

Ancestry.com has collated some interesting Whitten demographics. Here are some of the numbers.

From US immigrant passenger lists (which are heavily weighted toward the 19th century immigration) the top places of origin were given as:

  1. Ireland (37 people)
  2. England (31)
  3. Scotland (12)

The top county distribution of Whitten families in Scotland in 1891 were:

  1. Lanarkshire (35 families)
  2. Ayrshire (14)
  3. Midlothian (13)

The top county distribution of Whitten families in England in 1891 were:

  1. London (124 families)
  2. Cumberland (50)
  3. Essex (33)
  4. Middlesex (27)

Obviously, the concentration in London can be discounted for genealogical purposes, as many people would have moved to London from elsewhere in Great Britain. The same may be true for the London "suburban counties" of Essex and Middlesex. This makes the Northern concentration in Cumberland especially interesting.

According to another source, The Whitten and Allied Families Genealogy by William C. Whitten (1985), as cited at Origins and Meaning of Surname Whitten, the concentrations in Ireland are in Ulster, Armagh and Londonderry.

In the US, from data from the 1920 census, Whittens were concentrated in the following states:

  1. Massachusetts (156 of 1,934 families counted)
  2. Texas (153)
  3. Maine (142)
  4. Alabama (103)
  5. Illinois (87)
  6. Mississippi (86)

Sadly, some of the Southern US distribution is attributable to the legacy of slavery. Freed slaves often took their former slaveholders' surname. The concentration in Massachusetts and Illinois could be partially a result of the population centers around Boston and Chicago. This all makes the concentrations in Texas and Maine more notable.

Going further back in time, in 1880 the top US states were:

  1. Maine (524 of 3,293 families)
  2. Alabama (240)
  3. Massachusetts (233)
  4. Mississippi (229)
  5. Ohio (197)
  6. Texas (182)
  7. Illinois (136)
  8. Georgia (133)

The Maine concentration is even more stark here.

In the US in 1840:

  1. Maine (76 of 221 families)
  2. Ohio (23)
  3. New Hampshire (15)
  4. Massachusetts (15)
  5. Indiana (14)

Here, in the earliest survey, it's even more clear that the Maine concentration has genealogical significance. The Midwestern numbers are interesting too. Perhaps there is a pattern of movement with the Western frontier.

Another notable demographic observation: in the Civil War, there were more than twice as many Union soldiers named Whitten as Confederate soldiers named Whitten (2,213,363 Northern to 1,050,000 Southern).

Early Whitten's by Location (to 1830)

England

Oxfordshire
First Name Last Name Town of event County of event Event Year # Below
William Whiton Hook Norton Oxfordshire See Profile
Yorkshire
First Name Last Name Town of event County of event Event Year # Below
John Witton Slaidburn Yorkshire See Profile

Ireland

County Leitrim
First Name Last Name Town of event County of event Event Year # Below
William Whitten County Leitrim See Profile

North America

Maine

One thing to keep in mind when looking at very early records is that the places attributed to an area may actually have been a part of Massachusetts and the Plymouth Colony for a while. Governmental or colonial lines changed over time. Also, individual county lines changed often - York County covered a huge area of Maine at one point. Waldo was York (1630), Lincoln (1760), Hancock (1789) and then Waldo (1827).

For a historical timeline for each county please see the individual County Categorization Pages. York County, ME

Underlined names in table are linked to WikiTree profile for the individual.

First Name Last Name Town of event County of event Event Year # Below
Jonathon Whitten York York Birth of Child 1670 See Profile
Mary Whitten York York Marriage 1721 See Profile
John Whitten York York NonAttendance in Church 1727 1
John Whitten Topsham Sagadahoc Land Grant 1764 See Profile
John Whitten Arundel York Apraiser 1743 2
John Whitten Arundel York Debt 1748 3
Thomas Whitten  ? York Assault 1760 4
Richard Whitten Scarborough Cumberland Birth Est. 1763 See Profile
John Whitten New Castle Lincoln Census - Head 1790 5
Ebeneezer Whitten New Castle Lincoln Census - Head 1790 6
Elisha Whitten Scarborough Cumberland Sold 1788 See Profile
Ebeneezer Whitten Scarborough Cumberland Sold 1788 See Profile
John Whitten  ?  ? birth 1799 See Profile
S. F. Whitten  ?  ? birth 1799 See Profile
Robert Whitten Alfred York birth 1800 7
George Whitten Alfred York birth 1802 8
George Whitten  ?  ? transport. murderers 1827 9
Daniel Whitten Alfred York birth 1803 10
James Whitten Alfred York birth 1804 11
Issac Whitten Alfred York birth 1805 12
Hannah Whitten Alfred York Marriage 1805 13
Calvin Whitten Alfred York Birth 1806 14
Flanders Whitten Alfred York Birth 1806 15
John Whitten Bath Sagadahoc Birth 1803 16
John Whitten Bath Sagadahoc Birth 1803 17
Nahum Whitten Alfred York Marriage 1806 18
Polly Whitten Alfred York Marriage 1810 19
Mary Whitten Alfred York Marriage 182420
Abel Whitten Alfred York Marriage 1824 21
Samuel Whitten Alfred York Marriage 1828 22
Solomom Whitten Skowhegan York Maine Land Grants - MA  ? 23
Joseph Whitten Edgecomb Cumberland Census - Head 1790 See Profile
Umprey Whitten Sanford York Census - Head 1790 24
Samuel Whitten Sanford York Census - Head 1790 25
James Whitten Sanford York Census - Head 1790 26
Thomas Whitten Washington Plantation Kenebec Census - Head 1790 27
Benjamin Whitten Warren Lincoln Census - Head 1790 28
Humbert Whitten Warren Lincoln Census - Head 1790 29
Ebeneezer Whitten Waterboro York War of 1812 1812 30
George Whitten Scarborough Cumberland War of 1812 1814 31
Henry Whitten Alfred York War of 1812 1814 32
Richard Whitten Cornish York War of 1812 1813 33
Richard Whitten Cornish York War of 1812 1813 34
Stephen Whitten Scarborough Cumberland War of 1812 1814 35
Thomas Whitten Buxton York War of 1812 1813 See Profile
Thomas Whitten Limerick York War of 1812 1814 See Profile
John Whitten  ?  ? Sea Captian 1823 36
James Whitten  ? Waldo Death 1844 See Profile
James Whitten  ? Sommerset Death 1828 See Profile
Levi Whitten Troy Waldo Birth 1799 See Profile
Mary Whitten Troy Waldo Birth 1799 See Profile
Hannah Whitten Freedom Waldo Birth 1799 See Profile
Samuel Whitten Bowdoin Rev. Pensioner 1840 37
Jane Whitten Topsham Rev. Pensioner 1840 38
Thomas Whitten Westbrook Cumberland Death 1826 39
Asa Whitten Woolwich Sagadahoc Birth of Child 1783 See Profile
Thomas Whitten Scarboro Cumberland Census 1790 See Profile
Thomas J. Whitten Daughters Death 1835 See Profile
Thomas Whitten Newfield York Census 1820 See Profile
John Whitten Newfield York Census 1820 See Profile
Thomas Whitten Pepperrellboro York Marriage 1776 See Profile
Thomas Whitten Scarborough Cumberland Trespassing 1763 40

Numbered list with more information for entries in the table above.

  1. John Whitten, York, Nonattendance Church, 1727[3]
  2. John Whitten listed as an appraiser for "Probated 19 July 1743. Inventory returned at £1358: 12: 6, by Roger Mitchell, Sam Lunt and Wm Dearing, in Kittery, and at £305: 18: 0, in Arundel by Phillip Dorrel, John Whitten and John Mitchell, appraisers, 28 Sept. 1743."[4]
  3. John Whitten, Arundel, York, Debt, 1748[5] Related to John above?
  4. Thomas Whitten, York, Assault, 1760[6]
  5. John Whitten 1 2 1 0 0 / 1790 Census: New Castle, Lincoln County. Listed as Heads of Family.[7]
  6. Ebenezer Whitten 1 0 2 0 0" 1790 Census: New Castle, Lincoln County. Listed as Heads of Family.[8]
  7. Robert Whitten, Oct. 1 , 1800.[9]
  8. George Whitten, Oct. 17, 1802.[10]
  9. George Whitten, 1827 - "Report on the account of John Ackerman for transporting certain persons charged with murder from Massachusetts to this state...Associated subjects: Polly (Sloop); Extraditions; Fugitives from Justice; Murder; Mutiny; Sloop "Polly", Associated names: John Ackerman; Robert Cole; Samuel Lurvey; Charles Reed; Daniel Smith; George Whitten; William Woodworth.[11]
  10. Daniel Whitten, July 24, 1803.<[12]"Aug. 1, '17. Daniel Whitten and Dorothy Cluff."[13] Could this be this Daniel?
  11. James Whitten, Jan. 4, 1804.[14]
  12. Isaac Whitten, Jan. 6, 1805.[15]
  13. "Feb. 18. '05 (1805). Daniel Gile and Hannah Whitten".[16]
  14. Calvin Whitten, Nov. 4, 1806.[17]
  15. Flanders Whitten, Nov. 12, 1806.[18]
  16. John Whitten, b. 1803, Bath, Sagadahoc, Maine, d. Otoe co., Nebraska - wife Mercy, children, Mary, b. Maine, John and Samuel, b. Iowa. "...living in Syracuse Precinct (Nebraska) in 1870 with his sons John and Samuel on farms nearby. Mercy, his wife, was not mentioned and had probably died. Living with him was S.F. Whitten, a minister 71 years of age and a native of of Maine, who was probably an older brother." [19]
  17. A John Whitten is listed as a Selectman for York county for 1842 and 1843.[20]
  18. "(May 5,) '10 (1810). Nahum Whitten and Betsy Wormwood".[21]
  19. "(Jan.) 13, ('22.) Daniel Tripp and Polly Whitten."[22]
  20. "Mar. 30, '24. Thatcher Friend and Mary Whitten."[23]
  21. "Oct. 25, '24. Abel Whitten and Judith Hubbard."[24]
  22. "Dec. 14, '28. Samuel Whitten and Olive Hill."[25]
  23. Solomom Whitten, Maine Land Grants - MA, listed in Census Pensioners for Revolutionary and Military Services returned under the Act for the Taking the Sixth Census in 1840, State of Maine, York County. [26]
  24. Umpery Whitten[27]
  25. Samuel Whitten[28][29]
  26. James Whitten[30]
  27. Thomas Whitten [31]
  28. Benjamin Whitten, Scarboro, Maine, 25 Oct. 1814 Maine War of 1812 Veterans[29]
  29. Humbert Whitten, 1790, Warren, Lincoln County, Maine, Census - Head
  30. Ebenezer Whitten, Waterboro, Maine War of 1812 Veterans[30]
  31. George Whitten, Scarboro, Maine, 26 Nov. 1814 Maine War of 1812 Veterans[31]
  32. Henry Whitten, Alfred, Maine, 4 Mar. 1814 Maine War of 1812 Veterans[32]
  33. Richard Whitten, Cornish, Maine, 15 Apr. 1813 Maine War of 1812 Veterans[33]
  34. Richard Whitten, Cornish, Maine, 8 Sept. 1813 Maine War of 1812 Veterans[34]
  35. Stephen Whitten, Hillsboro, N. H., 6 May 1813 Maine War of 1812 Veterans[35]
  36. John Whitten, 34, Male, Sea Captain...Date of Arrival: 17 Feb 1823, Ship Name: Brig Milford of Portland, Port of Departure: Ramsgate [England][32]
  37. Samuel Whitten, Bowdoin[33]
  38. Jane Whitten, Topsham[34]
  39. Thomas Whitten b. 1808, d. Aug. 29, 1826, Westbrook, Cumberland County, Maine, USA, Inscription: Thomas S. Whitten, died Aug. 29, 1826, AEt. 18, Original marker missing in 2012. Transcription from "Cemeteries, Falmouth, Maine, and vicinity 1933" by Charles S Tibbetts., Sawyer-Knight Family Cemetery, Portland, Cumberland County, Maine, USA, Created by: M.Sawyer, 2013, Find A Grave Memorial# 103871129.[36] This is a Sawyer family Cemetery and Thomas is the only "other Named person in the Cemetery.
  40. Thomas Whitten, Court Record, 1763, Scarborough, Cumberland, Maine, United States, Defendant, Case Number: 1763Oct222, Number of Documents 4, Case Type: Tres Case, Date Entered: 9/9/1763 12:00:00 AM, Date Decided: 10/1/1763 12:00:00 AM, Filed By Thacher, Opposing Party: Philip FREEMAN, Boston, Suffolk, Merchant, Volume Name: 1763, Page 71.[35]
Maryland
First Name Last Name Town of event County of event Event Year # Below
Thomas Whitten Land Grant 1766[36]
Massachusetts
First Name Last Name Town of event County of event Event Year # Below
Jeremiah Whitten, Whiton, Whitton, Whitney Martha's Vinyard Plymouth Death 1725 See Profile
Thomas and Lydia Whitten Plymtown Plymouth Marriage 1736 1
Thomas WhittenHanover Plymouth Marriage 1770 2
Amos Whitten Plymouth Plymouth Marriage  ? 3
Jael Whitten Norwell Plymouth Church Record 1748 [37]
Thomas Whitten Plymtown Plymouth Birth 1772 Profile
Whiting Wrentham Norfolk Death 1691 [38]
James Whiton Hingham Suffolk Immigration 1635 See Profile
Thomas and Audry Whiton Hingham Suffolk Immigration 1635 See Profile

Numbered list with more information for entries in the table above.

  1. "Lydia and Thomas Whitten, of Plymtown, June 1, 1736." [39]
  2. "Thomas WHITTEN of Hano & Rachel PEAKES of Scituate were marrd 15 Nov 1770." [40]
  3. Amos Whitten "and Priscilla, m. Amos Whitten..."[41]
New Hampshire
First Name Last Name Town of event County of event Event Year # Below
Samuel Whitten (Whidden)PortsmithRockingham Church Mem. 1671 1
Thomas Whitten (Whidden)Portsmith Rockingham Church Mem. 1671 2
John Whitten (Whidden)Portsmith Rockingham Church Mem. 1671 3
Ichabod Whitten  ?  ? Son of Samuel 1714 4
Sarah Whitten  ?  ?  ? 1713 5
John Whitten  ?  ?  ? 1713 6
Samuel Whitten  ?  ?  ? 1713 7
James Whitten  ?  ?  ? 1713 8
Sarah Whitten  ?  ?  ? 1713 9
Sam Whitten  ?  ?  ? 1713 9
James Whitten  ?  ?  ? 1713 10
Abigaile Whitten  ?  ?  ? 1713 10
Martha Whitten  ?  ?  ? 1713 11
Sarah Whitten  ?  ?  ? 1724 12
Samuel Whitten  ?  ?  ?  ? 13
John Whitten  ?  ?  ? 1727 14
Hannah Whitten  ?  ?  ? 1750? 15
Mary Whitten  ?  ?  ?  ? 16
Sarah Whitten  ?  ?  ? 1727 17
Ann Whitten  ?  ?  ? 1727 18

Numbered list with more information for entries in the table above.

  1. Samuel Whitten (Whidden)..."in New Hampshire, Samuel, Thomas, and John Whitten, or Whidden. In 1671 John and Samuel Whitten (or Whidden) were members of the church at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and contributed to the fund for the maintenance of Rev. Mr. Moody."[42] Probable that he is listed in the Whitten DNA Study.
  2. Thomas Whitten (Whidden)..."in New Hampshire, Samuel, Thomas, and John Whitten, or Whidden. In 1671 John and Samuel Whitten (or Whidden) were members of the church at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and contributed to the fund for the maintenance of Rev. Mr. Moody."[43]
  3. John Whitten (Whidden)..."in New Hampshire, Samuel, Thomas, and John Whitten, or Whidden. In 1671 John and Samuel Whitten (or Whidden) were members of the church at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and contributed to the fund for the maintenance of Rev. Mr. Moody."[44]
  4. "Ichabod Whitten, son of Samuel Whitten Deceased." (October, 1714)
  5. "Sarah Whitten" (1713)
  6. "John Whitten" (1713)
  7. "Samuel" (1713)
  8. "James" (1713)
  9. "Sarah, Sons & Daughter of Sam Whitten" (1713)
  10. "Abigaile Whitten, daughter of James Whitten." (1714)
  11. "Martha daughter of James Whitten." (1724)
  12. "Sarah Whitten owned ye covenant & C." 1727
  13. "Samuel
  14. John
  15. Hannah - "Samuel Knight b.bet.1730 and 1748, d.ca.1807 m.Hannah Whitten d/o John and Ruth (Merrill) Whitten of Arundel."[45]
  16. Mary
  17. Sarah sons & daughters of John Whitten (1727)
  18. "Anne Whitten owned ye covenant & C." (1727)[46]
New Jersey
First Name Last Name Town of event County of event Event Year # Below
Grace Whitten Burlington Burlington Marriage 1694 1

Numbered list with more information for entries in the table above.

  1. "Cripps, Nathaniel, Burlington (m.) Whitten, Grace, 9 Jan 1694. [47]
Pennsylvania
First Name Last Name Town of event County of event Event Year # Below
Richard Whitten Philadelphia ? Marriage 1721 1

Numbered list with more information for entries in the table above.

  1. "Richard Whitten, Avington mm Pa to marry Elizabeth Jyliff received 11mo 30, 1712." [48]
Vermont
First Name Last Name Town of event County of event Event Year # Below
Witton Vermont ?

Whitten DNA

Since DNA can be traced along a patrilineal (father to father to father) line it can be interesting for someone studying the genealogy of a surname, theoretically at least. The Y chromosome conveniently follows our Western Europe convention on last names.

Whitten DNA Projects

Although there are now many companies offering DNA testing for genealogical purposes, Family Tree DNA is the largest. They have groups organized around surnames including this one:

Y DNA Project

Y DNA Haplogroups

Haplogroup EKA FName EKA LName Ancestor Location Origins
G-P303 David Watson Whitt  ?  ?
I-M223  ? Witten  ? England
I-M253 George Whitton Scotland Scotland
I-M253 John Whitten VA/SC England
I-M253 John Whitt/Witt  ?  ?
I-P37  ? Whidden/Whiddon Unknown  ?
R-A7208 John DeWitt MA/WV  ?
R-BY4046 Ichabod Whidden England England
R-L21 William Whitton VA  ?
R-M269(R-DF13) Samuel Whidden/Whitten New Hampshire England
R-M269 Ichabod Whidden England England
R-M269 Thomas Whiddon England England
R-M269 William Whitten UK UK
R-M269 Levi Whitten  ?  ?
R-M269 Samuel H. Whitten Maine England
R-ZZ10_1 Ichabod Whidden England England

Currently, 61 people have joined the FTDNA Project for Whitten's which are enough to show some interesting patterns, though many, many more results are needed to draw any concrete conclusions from the information. Selfishly speaking, the best reason to use DNA right now is if you want to test a connection with someone in particular. Altruistically, you'd be helping all Whittens trace their genealogy by having a male in your Whitten family (with the Whitten or variant surname) get tested and publishing the results.

mtDNA Project

mtDNA Haplogroups

Unfortunately people with mtDNA post their mtDNA to their paternal surname. A column with the EKA (Earliest Known Ancestor) Surname (when posted) has been added.

HaplogroupY Project SurnameMtDNA EKA SurnameEKA ancestor InformationCountry
H1a3aDeWittKnap/KnoopDorothea Knape / Knoop b. 1828 Prussia d. 1884 MOGermany
H1ap1WhittenEkstromAnna Marie Ekstrom, b. 1865 d. 1947Finland
H1e1aPapeUnknown Origin
H24WhittenLawerenceSarah J. Lawrence, b. 1841 Fayette, AlabamaUnknown Origin
H3k1aFrederickAkinMargret Akin b1709 Co DownIreland
H6a1b3aLucasUnknown Origin
HVWhittenThompsonMary thompson 1772 Albemarble,va-1 20 1857 madson,England
I4aPykeViensPat Pyke Nee Georgette Viens , quebec, NSCanada
JRandellSalomanAnna SalomanGermany
KWheatonHamiltonElizabeth Hamilton b. 1775 Monongalia, WVUnited States
K1a1aWittenSchafferLoraine SchafferGermany
K1a4a1a1DuBoseHodgesCaroline Hodges 1831-1917 South CarolinaIreland
K2b1a1KloskiEastSarah East, b.c. 1830, 1915England
TChurchCarnessarah sally carnes 1774 ky,1848 ilUnited States (Native American)
T1WhiddenUnknown Origin
T1Whitingmartha j. unknown b.1805 d.n/aUnknown Origin
T2DhoogheBennettRosa Mae Bennett,1901-1968Unknown Origin
T2EscalonaUnknown Origin
T2c1d-T152C!WhittenHigdonJane Higdon b 1899 New Harbour, Trinity Bay, NLCanada
U4c1PykeFisherShirley Frances Fisher b1940 Glace Bay Nova ScotiaCanada
U4c1WhittenZingerMarie Josepha Zinger, 1822-1846Germany
U5WhittenFloydCatherine (Katie) (Floyd) Daures, 4 Nov 1821 - 11 Oct 1899Unknown Origin, lived La Have Island, Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
U5LewisUnknown Origin
U5WhittenHurtRebecca Hurt 1734Unknown Origin
U6a3a1WhiddenSYRJÄLÄMaria SYRJÄLÄ,1886-1930, Somero, FinlandFinland
WScullardCraigMargaret Frances Craig b. 24 Jun 1812 KYUnited States
WWhittenUnknown Origin

Whitten Military Information

US Revolution

THE SAR Database results search for the name Whitten

Discussion Boards

  • Whitten Q&A in G2G: WikiTree's own question and answer forum. This page gives all Q&A tagged with the surname Whitten.

Famous Whittens

Danny Whitten (May 8, 1943 - November 18, 1972), a musician and songwriter.

Jamie Whitten (April 18, 1910 – September 9, 1995), a US representative from Mississippi.

Edward James "Ted" Whitten (27 July 1933 - 17 August 1995), an Australian Rules Football player.

Whittens on WikiTree

Here is the complete Whitten Index.

When you add yourself or a Whitten relative to WikiTree your addition(s) will automatically be included on the index the following day.

Sources

  1. ↑ Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts; (Volume 3), pp. 129-145, William Richard Cutter, 2011
  2. ↑ The New England Historical and Genealogical Register and Fourth Annual Supplement American Ancestors Journal, Volume 166, p.260, October 2012[1]
  3. ↑ Maine Court Records, 1696-1854.Maine Court Records Search
  4. ↑ Maine Wills, 1640-1760 (Portland, Me., 1887), p. 463, citing Probate Office, 6, 44. Will of John Walker
  5. ↑ Maine Court Records, 1696-1854.Maine Court Records Search
  6. ↑ Maine Court Records, 1696-1854.Maine Court Records Search
  7. ↑ Heads of families at the first census of the United States taken in the year 1790: Maine [pdf]. (Washington, D. C., Govt. Print Off., 1908). 1790 Census: New Castle, Lincoln County.Maine Genealogy
  8. ↑ Heads of families at the first census of the United States taken in the year 1790: Maine [pdf]. (Washington, D. C., Govt. Print Off., 1908). 1790 Census: New Castle, Lincoln County.Maine Genealogy
  9. ↑ Births, Town Records of Alfred (Maine),p.138, George M. Phoenix, The Maine Historical and Genealogical Recorder, vol. 8 (Portland, Me.: S. M. Watson, 1895)., p. 138.[2]
  10. ↑ Births, Town Records of Alfred (Maine),p.138, George M. Phoenix, The Maine Historical and Genealogical Recorder, vol. 8 (Portland, Me.: S. M. Watson, 1895)., p. 138.[3]
  11. ↑ "Maine Executive Council Records, 1820-1840," database, Maine Genealogy ([4] : accessed 16 June 2016), entry for Report on the account of John Ackerman for transporting certain persons charged with murder from Massachusetts to this state, 1827, citing Executive Council 1820-1835 database, Maine State Archives.
  12. ↑ Births, Town Records of Alfred (Maine),p.138, George M. Phoenix, The Maine Historical and Genealogical Recorder, vol. 8 (Portland, Me.: S. M. Watson, 1895)., p. 138.[5]
  13. ↑ Town Records of Alfred ME, The Maine Historical and Genealogical Recorder, vol. 4 (Portland, Me.: S. M. Watson, 1887), p. 134, Geo. M. Phoenix., January 25, 1885.[6]
  14. ↑ Births, Town Records of Alfred (Maine),p.138, George M. Phoenix, The Maine Historical and Genealogical Recorder, vol. 8 (Portland, Me.: S. M. Watson, 1895)., p. 138.[7]
  15. ↑ Births, Town Records of Alfred (Maine),p.139, George M. Phoenix, The Maine Historical and Genealogical Recorder, vol. 8 (Portland, Me.: S. M. Watson, 1895)., p. 138.[8]
  16. ↑ Town Records of Alfred ME, The Maine Historical and Genealogical Recorder, vol. 4 (Portland, Me.: S. M. Watson, 1887), p. 134, Geo. M. Phoenix., January 25, 1885.[9]
  17. ↑ Births, Town Records of Alfred (Maine),p.139, George M. Phoenix, The Maine Historical and Genealogical Recorder, vol. 8 (Portland, Me.: S. M. Watson, 1895)., p. 138.[10]
  18. ↑ Births, Town Records of Alfred (Maine),p.139, George M. Phoenix, The Maine Historical and Genealogical Recorder, vol. 8 (Portland, Me.: S. M. Watson, 1895)., p. 138.[11]
  19. ↑ Dale, Raymond Elmer. Otoe County Pioneers: a Biographical Dictionary. Lincoln, Neb.: [s.n.], 1961. 2762. Print.[12]
  20. ↑ History of York County, Maine: With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers, p.356, Higginson Book Company, 1880 - York County (Me.), [13]
  21. ↑ Town Records of Alfred ME, The Maine Historical and Genealogical Recorder, vol. 4 (Portland, Me.: S. M. Watson, 1887), p. 134, Geo. M. Phoenix., January 25, 1885.[14]
  22. ↑ Town Records of Alfred ME, The Maine Historical and Genealogical Recorder, vol. 4 (Portland, Me.: S. M. Watson, 1887), p. 134, Geo. M. Phoenix., January 25, 1885.[15]
  23. ↑ Town Records of Alfred ME, The Maine Historical and Genealogical Recorder, vol. 4 (Portland, Me.: S. M. Watson, 1887), p. 134, Geo. M. Phoenix., January 25, 1885.[16]
  24. ↑ Town Records of Alfred ME, The Maine Historical and Genealogical Recorder, vol. 4 (Portland, Me.: S. M. Watson, 1887), p. 134, Geo. M. Phoenix., January 25, 1885.[17]
  25. ↑ Town Records of Alfred ME, The Maine Historical and Genealogical Recorder, vol. 4 (Portland, Me.: S. M. Watson, 1887), p. 134, Geo. M. Phoenix., January 25, 1885.[18]
  26. ↑ A census of pensioners for revolutionary or military services: with their names, ages, and places of residence, as returned by the marshals of the several judicial districts, under the act for taking the sixth census (Washington, D.C.: Blair and Rives, printers, 1841).Census Pensioners for Revolutionary and Military Services returned under the Act for the Taking the Sixth Census in 1840, State of Maine, York County.
  27. ↑ Heads of families at the first census of the United States taken in the year 1790: Maine, p.67, United States. Bureau of the Census, United States. Census Office, Govt. Print. Off., 1908. [19]
  28. ↑ "United States Census, 1790", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHK2-81Y : 29 May 2015), Samuel Whitten, 1790.
  29. ↑ Heads of families at the first census of the United States taken in the year 1790: Maine, p.67, United States. Bureau of the Census, United States. Census Office, Govt. Print. Off., 1908. [20]
  30. ↑ Heads of families at the first census of the United States taken in the year 1790: Maine, p.67, United States. Bureau of the Census, United States. Census Office, Govt. Print. Off., 1908. [21]
  31. ↑ Heads of families at the first census of the United States taken in the year 1790: Maine, p.68, United States. Bureau of the Census, United States. Census Office, Govt. Print. Off., 1908. [22]
  32. ↑ "Maine Passenger Lists," database, Maine Genealogy (http://www.mainegenealogy.net/individual_passenger_record.asp?id=339 : accessed 21 Jun 2016), entry for John Whitten, 17 Feb 1823, citing Copies of Lists of Passengers Arriving at Miscellaneous Ports on the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts and at Ports on the Great Lakes, 1820-1873: Portland and Falmouth, Me., 1820-1847 (NARA Roll# M575-9; FHL Roll# 830239). Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Service.
  33. ↑ A census of pensioners for revolutionary or military services: with their names, ages, and places of residence, as returned by the marshals of the several judicial districts, under the act for taking the sixth census (Washington, D.C.: Blair and Rives, printers, 1841).Census Pensioners for Revolutionary and Military Services returned under the Act for the Taking the Sixth Census in 1840, State of Maine, York County.
  34. ↑ A census of pensioners for revolutionary or military services: with their names, ages, and places of residence, as returned by the marshals of the several judicial districts, under the act for taking the sixth census (Washington, D.C.: Blair and Rives, printers, 1841).Census Pensioners for Revolutionary and Military Services returned under the Act for the Taking the Sixth Census in 1840, State of Maine, York County.
  35. ↑ Suffolk County, MA: Index to Court of Common Pleas Cases, 1756-1776. (Online database.AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2013.) From records compiled by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court's division of Archives and Records Preservation, and held by the Massachusetts Archives. American Ancestors
  36. ↑ History of Western Maryland: Being a History of Frederick, Montgomery, Carroll, Washington, Allegany, and Garrett Counties from the Earliest Period to the Present Day, Including Biographical Sketches of Their Representative Men, p.652, Volume 1, John Thomas Scharf, [23]
  37. ↑ The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Volume 58, 1904 , Records of The Second Church of Scituate, Now the First Unitarian Church of Norwell, Mass., Communicated by Wilford Jacob Litchfield, MS, Of Southbridge Mass., p 83,
  38. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FH8H-D5Q : 13 July 2016), Whiting, 02 Apr 1691; citing Death, Wrentham, Norfolk, Massachusetts, United States, , town clerk offices, Massachusetts; FHL microfilm 886,859.
  39. ↑ Falmoth Marriages, p 217,[24]
  40. ↑ Scituate, MA, Births Marriages & Deaths, Mayflower Descendant Vol 2 [1900], p 32 - 36, Town Records, Vol IV, Pt 2, p 1.[25]
  41. ↑ Plymoth Colony Genealogical Register, p. 137
  42. ↑ Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts; (Volume 3), pp. 129-145, William Richard Cutter, 2011
  43. ↑ Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts; (Volume 3), pp. 129-145, William Richard Cutter, 2011
  44. ↑ Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts; (Volume 3), pp. 129-145, William Richard Cutter, 2011
  45. ↑ Helen's Genes
  46. ↑ Greenland NH Early Ministerial records, Roll containing account of Baptisms..., The New England Historical and Genealogical Register,: Volume 28, 1874.[26]
  47. ↑ New Jersey Marriages, Burlington Records (1680) (Unit no. 53) : Page/Item 44. [27]
  48. ↑ QUAKER ARRIVALS AT PHILADELPHIA 1682-1750, by Albert Cook Myers, published in 1902. [28]




Memories: 1
Enter a personal reminiscence or story.
Chris Whitten
I've been experimenting with DNA testing for genealogy. There are now growing databases with tens of thousands of people you can compare your DNA with. Given that the Western European convention for last names is patrilineal I expected that some of my closest yDNA matches would be named Whitten. However, of the 70 or so closest matches in the databases I've checked, none of them are named Whitten. The most common last name for our matches is Wilkes. The second most common last name is McClellan/McClelland. What makes this ironic for me is that McClellan is my wife's maiden name! (The McClellans originated in the western Scottish border area while it appears that Whittens originated in the eastern Scottish border area. Maybe a connection makes sense.)

P.S. All this is of almost no real scientific value. I had a 12-marker test done. A 12-marker match is a good indication that you share an ancestor in the last one or two thousand years. That's it. This is about the time frame where last names started being used in the British Isles. So, even leaving aside adoption, name change, and illigitimacy, it's not surprising that people who share an ancestor from one or two thousand years ago wouldn't have the same last name. Also, when a last name appears more than once in this list it's a good possibility that two people with the same last name were testing together for a genetic connection. Before these large databases that was the most common usage of DNA testing for genealogy. So, despite what I'm implying above, frequency of last name doesn't mean much.

posted 12 Jan 2009 by Chris Whitten
Login to add a memory.
Images: 3
Whitten Ancestral Home
Whitten Ancestral Home
Statue of Ted Whitten
Statue of Ted Whitten
Current Waldo County, Maine
Current Waldo County, Maine
Collaboration
  • Login to edit this profile and add images.
  • Private Messages: Contact the Profile Managers privately: Chris Whitten and One Name Studies WikiTree. (Best when privacy is an issue.)
  • Public Comments: Login to post. (Best for messages specifically directed to those editing this profile. Limit 20 per day.)


Comments: 6

Leave a message for others who see this profile.
There are no comments yet.
Login to post a comment.
Audrey (Whitehead) van den Berg
John Whitten b. circa 1830, Limerick, County Armagh, Ireland which I have just added to the unrelated pages could possibly be a relative of Thomas Whitten- (Whitten- 1908) b 1833, Limerick.

Audrey van den Berg Whitehead.

posted by Audrey (Whitehead) van den Berg
Sands-1865 Kay (Sands) Knight
Connection to multiple ONS is confusing.

Connection to https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Whiton-68 via https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Whiton-401 and then https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Whiton-400

posted by Kay (Sands) Knight
Goff-495 Chris Goff
Hi there. I just wanted to let you know about the Whiting ONS. Whiting has its own study with registered variants (see Guild of One Name Studies) and this might be confusing for some people. I have cross referenced your study on the Whiting page - perhaps you could do the same/opposite on yours? Perhaps also remove Whiting as a named variant of Whitten. Thanks
posted by Chris Goff
N.-17 Maggie N.
This is an interesting One Name Study page, Chris . I just discovered how well ONS is working on here (-:
posted by Maggie N.
Lavoie-74 Liander Lavoie
I tracked down where that Geocities site moved to when Geocities shut down and updated your link. :)
posted by Liander Lavoie
Whitten-1 Chris Whitten
What can you add? I just wanted to get something started here. Please contribute. Click to join the Trusted List and help me grow this resource. Thanks!
posted by Chris Whitten

Categories: Whitten Name Study | One Name Studies | DNA Projects | Nominated Profiles