Whitmore
A locational surname meaning “dweller by the white moor” or, less likely, “white mere.”
The #2,380 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 20,185 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The name is usually explained from Old English hwit “white” plus mor “moor, marsh, or waste land,” giving the sense “white moor.” Some early writers also suggested a second place-name source from hwit + mere, “white mere” or white lake. The surname is therefore tied to a place-name rather than to a personal characteristic.
History
The historical entry in Harrison says Whitmore, Staffordshire, was recorded in Domesday as Witemore, and Lower places the family at Whitmore or Whittimere in Shropshire by the reign of Henry III. Later Whitmores of Apley rose in status through commerce in the Elizabethan period. The name also appears in other counties, suggesting that separate local origins may have contributed to its spread.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
A well-known place-name form behind the surname appears in Domesday Book as Witemore, an early medieval spelling that preserves the same basic meaning.
From the historical record
“mille, &.C., O.E. myln] WHITMORE (Eng.) Dweller at i the White Moor [O.E. hwit + mor] Whitmore, Staffs, was the Domesday Witemore. 2 (occ.) the White Mere [O.E. hwit + mere] William de Witimere. — Hund. Rolls (Salop)”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)Notable people named Whitmore
- James Whitmore (1921–2009)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.