Whitny Last Name: Meaning and Heraldic Roots

If your family name is Whitny, its origin lies with Whitney, an English surname. Taken at its root, Whitny points to “White island”.

Without the “e” of Whitney, Whitny is a simpler written form of the same name. Spellings drifted because names were written down by ear in parish books, tax rolls and passenger lists. Other spellings include Witney.

Whitny sounds close to Whitton, so it can help to search both.

Heraldry is personal: arms associated with the Whitney surname were borne by specific families, and sharing the name does not mean sharing the blazon. For the full story, order the Whitny surname pack.