Whittle
A mainly English locational surname from places called Whittle, probably meaning “white hill” or “white nook/corner.”
The #4,828 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 42,253 Americans shares it.
Etymology
This surname is usually explained as coming from one or more English place-names called Whittle, especially Whittle-in-the-Woods in Lancashire. The name has been linked to Old English words for “white” plus either “hill” or “corner/nook,” giving a sense like “white hill” or “white nook.” Another older suggestion connected it with a word for a knife, but the place-name evidence is stronger in the historical sources here.
History
The surname is well attested in northern England, especially Lancashire, but also appears in other counties with places of the same name. Historical spellings vary a lot, which suggests early confusion between similar local forms. Because several small places were involved, the surname may have arisen independently in more than one area.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The historical record shows so many spellings that one source remarks on early confusion among several similarly named places.
From the historical record
“ary-cat and pantomimic fame. WHITTLE (Eng.) i Bel. to Whittle = (a) the White Hill [O.E. hwit + hylX\ (6) the White Nook or Corner [O.E. hwit -I- h{e)alh^ The Lane. Whittle (-le-Woods) was Withul{l, Whithull, also app. Wythalg and Quitehalhe, in the 13th cent., Whityll in ihf^ 15th cent.; so that there has been…”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)