Whitehead is a surname. Recorded in a number of spellings including Whithead, Whitehed, Whithed, and Whitsed, this surname is of

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

origins. It usually derives from the Old English pre–7th century word "hwit" meaning white, plus "heafod", a head, combined to form a descriptive nickname for someone with white hair. Notable people with the surname include: * Adam Whitehead (born 1980), British swimmer * Adrian Whitehead (born 1975), Australian rules footballer * Agathe Whitehead (1891–1922), British heiress, wife of

Georg von Trapp Georg Ludwig Ritter von Trapp (4 April 1880 – 30 May 1947) was an officer in the Austro-Hungarian Navy who later became the patriarch of the Trapp Family Singers. Trapp was the most successful Austro-Hungarian submarine commander of World W ...

* Alan Whitehead (disambiguation), multiple people *

Alfred North Whitehead Alfred North Whitehead (15 February 1861 – 30 December 1947) was an English mathematician and philosopher. He is best known as the defining figure of the philosophical school known as process philosophy, which today has found applicat ...

(1861–1947), British philosopher and mathematician * Alfred Whitehead (1887–1974), English composer, organist, choirmaster and music educator, active in Canada * Mrs. Andrew Whitehead (died 1920), American blizzard victim *

Annie Whitehead Lena Annie Whitehead (born 16 July 1955 in Oldham, Lancashire, England) is an English jazz trombone player. Career Whitehead learned the trombone in high school and participated in rock and jazz bands. When she was 16, she left school to become ...

(born 1955), English jazz trombone player * Axle Whitehead (born 1980), Australian entertainer * Barb Whitehead (born 1961), American golfer *

Ben Whitehead Benjamin Whitehead (born 15 May 1977) is an English actor. He is best known as the current voice of Wallace in the ''Wallace and Gromit'' franchise following Peter Sallis' retirement and subsequent death. Career Whitehead began working on film ...

(born 1977), English voice actor * Bob Whitehead (born 1953), American game designer and programmer * Bob Whitehead (20th century), American soccer player * Bruce Whitehead, American politician in Colorado *

Bud Whitehead Ruben Agnus "Bud" Whitehead (born January 1, 1939) is a former American football defensive back in the American Football League (AFL). A 16th-round selection (127th overall pick) of the 1961 AFL Draft, Whitehead played eight seasons with the San ...

(born 1939), American football player *

Bus Whitehead Milton Edgar "Bus" Whitehead (January 13, 1928 – June 11, 2010). was an American basketball player. He was an All-conference college player for the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, University of Nebraska and was an AAU Men's Basketball All-Ame ...

(1928–2010), American basketball player *

Burgess Whitehead Burgess Urquhart "Whitey" Whitehead (June 29, 1910 – November 25, 1993) was a Major League Baseball second baseman from 1933 to 1946. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Giants, and Pittsburgh Pirates. Biography Whitehead was bo ...

(1910–1993), American baseball player *

Charles Whitehead Charles Whitehead (1804 – 5 July 1862) was an English poet, novelist and dramatist. Whitehead was born in London, the eldest son of a wine merchant. His most popular works were: ''The Solitary'' (1831), a poem, ''The Autobiography of Jack Ketc ...

(1804–1862), English poet, novelist and dramatist *

Charlie Whitehead Charlie Whitehead (September 12, 1942 – June 26, 2015) was a soul singer from Franklin, Virginia. Whitehead moved to New York City in 1968 and was subsequently signed to Musicor's R&B subsidiary, Dynamo Records, by Charlie Foxx. At Dynamo, W ...

(1899-1972), Australian rules footballer * Chris Whitehead (born 1986), English rugby union player * Christian Whitehead, Australian video game developer *

Chryssie Whitehead Chryssie Whitehead is an American actress, singer and dancer on Broadway, film and television as well as a passionate educator, director and choreographer. Early life and education Whitehead grew up in South Carolina. During her first year of ...

American actress, singer and dancer * Cindy Whitehead (born 1962), American skateboarder *

Clay T. Whitehead Clay T. "Tom" Whitehead (November 13, 1938 – July 23, 2008Hevesi, Dennis ''The New York Times'', July 31, 2008) was a United States government official who served as special assistant to the president from 1968 to 1970; director of the White Hous ...

(1938–2008), United States government official in charge of telecommunications *

Clive Whitehead Clive Robert Whitehead (born 24 November 1955) is an English former footballer. Life and career Whitehead was born in Northfield, Birmingham. He played for Bordesley Green Boys and Northfield Juniors during his youth and had a trial with Wolv ...

(born 1955), English footballer - Bristol City and West Bromwich Albion *

Colson Whitehead Arch Colson Chipp Whitehead (born November 6, 1969) is an American novelist. He is the author of eight novels, including his 1999 debut work '' The Intuitionist''; '' The Underground Railroad'' (2016), for which he won the 2016 National Book Awa ...

(born 1969), American author *

David Whitehead (disambiguation) David Whitehead may refer to: * David Whitehead (businessman) (1790–1865), American businessman * David Whitehead (climate scientist), Fellow of the Royal Society Te Apārangi * David Whitehead (priest) (c. 1492–1571), English evangelical prie ...

, multiple people *

Dean Whitehead Dean Whitehead (born 12 January 1982) is an English former professional footballer and coach. A midfielder who occasionally played at right-back, he made 622 league and cup appearances in a 19-year playing career, scoring 29 goals. Whitehead j ...

(born 1982), English footballer *

Derek Whitehead Derek Whitehead (born 14 February 1944) is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s and 1970s. He played at representative level for Great Britain national rugby league team, Great Britain and Rugby League ...

(born 1944), English rugby league footballer *

Don Whitehead Don Whitehead (April 8, 1908 in Inman, Virginia - January 12, 1981) was an American journalist. He was awarded the Medal of Freedom. He won the 1950 George Polk Award for wire service reporting. He was awarded the 1951 Pulitzer Prize for Inter ...

(1908–1981), American journalist * Donald R. Whitehead (1938–1990), American entomologist *

Donald S. Whitehead Donald Strehle Whitehead (October 10, 1888 – January 2, 1957) was an American politician from Idaho. The state's 23rd and 28th Lieutenant Governor of Idaho, lieutenant governor, he served a combined six years between 1939 and 1951. Early life W ...

(1888-1957), American politician from Idaho *

Edward Whitehead Walter Edward Whitehead (20 May 1908 – 16 April 1978), also known as Commander Whitehead, was an advertisement representative of Schweppes Tonic Water, playing himself as a suave and cosmopolitan man of taste and distinction in a widely-distrib ...

(1908–1978), spokesman and later president of Schweppes *

Edgar Whitehead Sir Edgar Cuthbert Fremantle Whitehead, (8 February 1905 – 22 September 1971) was a Rhodesian politician. He was a longstanding member of the Southern Rhodesian Legislative Assembly, although his career was interrupted by other posts and by ...

(1905–1971), Rhodesian politician *

Elliott Whitehead Elliott Whitehead (born 4 September 1989) is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays as a forward for the Canberra Raiders in the NRL, and England and Great Britain at international level. He previously played for the Bradfo ...

(born 1989), English rugby league player *

Emily Whitehead Emily Whitehead (born 11 December 2000) is an Australian artistic gymnast. At the 2018 Commonwealth Games, she won a bronze medal in the team event and on the vault. She represented Australia at the 2020 Summer Olympics and is a two-time Ocea ...

(born 2000), Australian artistic gymnast * Ennis Whitehead (1895–1964), Lieutenant General U.S. Air Force *

Fionn Whitehead Fionn Whitehead (; born 18 July 1997) is an English actor. He portrayed the lead role in the 2017 film '' Dunkirk'' and the 2018 film '' Black Mirror: Bandersnatch''. His first acting credit was in the 2016 ITV miniseries '' Him''. Life Whitehe ...

(born 1996/1997), English actor * Frank Whitehead (Canadian politician), Canadian politician * Frank Whitehead (mayor) (1892–1976), American politician from Florida *

Frederick Whitehead Frederick William Newton Whitehead (also known as Fred Whitehead; 1853 – 12 February 1938)Smith, Rosalyn. Frederick William Newton Whitehead, 1853 – 1938'' (Oct, 2007 - Doc file). was an English landscape painting, landscape artist and ...

, (1853–1938), English landscape artist and illustrator * Frederick Wilson Whitehead, (1863–1926), English organist, composer and music teacher * Gary Whitehead (born 1965), American poet and painter * Geoffrey Whitehead (born 1939), English actor * Geoffrey Whitehead (ABC), Australian business executive * George Whitehead (disambiguation), multiple people *

Gillian Whitehead Dame Gillian Karawe Whitehead (born 23 April 1941) is a New Zealand composer. She is of Māori Ngāi Te Rangi descent. Her Māori heritage has been an important influence on her composing. Early life Whitehead was born in Hamilton in 1941. ...

(born 1941), New Zealand composer *

Graham Whitehead Alfred Graham Whitehead (born in Harrogate, 15 April 1922 – died in Lower Basildon, Berkshire, 15 January 1981) was a British racing driver from England. He participated in one Formula One World Championship Grand Prix, on 19 July 1952. He ...

(1922–1981), British racing driver *

Gregory Whitehead Gregory Whitehead (Nantucket, MA) is a writer, radio program maker and audio artist based in Lenox, Massachusetts. Allen S. Weiss considers him to be a major figure in the fields of audio art and radio art.Allen S. Weiss, ''"Lost Tongues and Disa ...

, American writer, radiomaker and audio artist * Gustave Whitehead (1874–1927), aviation pioneer, emigrated from Germany to U.S., claims to make first powered airplane flight in 1901 not accepted by mainstream aviation historians * Hal Whitehead, Canadian biologist * Henry Whitehead (disambiguation), multiple people *

Hugh Whitehead Hugh Whitehead (died 1551) was the last prior of the Benedictine monastery at Durham in England. The monastery was dissolved by King Henry VIII in 1540. Whitehead would go on to become the cathedral's first dean. Life He was from a County ...

(died 1551), prior of the Benedictine monastery at Durham, England * Ian Whitehead (born 1946), Scottish footballer and manager * J. Gordon Whitehead, contributed to the death of Houdini *

J. H. C. Whitehead John Henry Constantine Whitehead FRS (11 November 1904 – 8 May 1960), known as Henry, was a British mathematician and was one of the founders of homotopy theory. He was born in Chennai (then known as Madras), in India, and died in Princeton, ...

(1904–1960) (known as Henry), British mathematician *

Jamal Whitehead Jamal Norman Whitehead (born 1979) is an American lawyer who is a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington. Early life and education Whitehead was born in the Turnersville section ...

, American lawyer * James Whitehead (disambiguation) (including Jim and Jimmy), multiple people *

Jason John Whitehead JJ Whitehead is a Canadian born stand-up comedian, who was based in the United Kingdom until 2014. He lives in Hollywood, California. He has made appearances at 14 Edinburgh Festival Fringes including 7 solo shows. Stand-up In 2000 Whitehead was t ...

, Canadian stand-up comedian, active in Britain * Jay Whitehead (born 1959), American author and publisher * Jef "Wrest" Whitehead (born 1989), American Metal Musician & Tattoo artist * Jennifer Whitehead (born 1977), American volleyball player and coach *

Jermaine Whitehead Jermaine Rasheed Whitehead (born March 12, 1993) is a former American football free safety. He played college football at Auburn, and was signed by the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2015. He was also a member of the Baltimore ...

(born 1993), American football player * Jerome Whitehead (1956–2012), American basketball player * John Whitehead (disambiguation), multiple people *

Jonathan Whitehead Jonathan Whitehead (21 October 1960 – 26 May 2020) was an English musician and composer, born in Denton, Lancashire. He wrote music for television comedies such as ''The Day Today'', ''Brass Eye'', ''Black Books'', ''Green Wing'', '' Campus'' a ...

(1960–2020), English composer *

Jordan Whitehead Jordan Tyler Whitehead (born March 18, 1997) is an American football safety for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Pittsburgh. Early years Whitehead attended Central Valley High School in M ...

(born 1997), American football player * Joseph Whitehead (disambiguation), multiple people * Lees Whitehead (1864–1913), English cricketer * Lucky Whitehead (born 1992), American football player *

Luke Whitehead Luke Edward Whitehead (born February 9, 1981) is a former professional basketball player. Born in Walnut Creek, California, he played forward for the University of Louisville. College After graduating from Oak Hill Academy in 2000, Whitehead jo ...

(born 1981), American basketball player * Luther Whitehead (1869–1931), English cricketer *

Martha Whitehead Martha Whitehead is an American politician and pastor from the U.S. state of Texas. She was the last Texas State Treasurer before the position was abolished by constitutional amendment in 1996. Career Whitehead served as the mayor of Longview, Te ...

, Texas State Treasurer *

Max Whitehead Colin Maxwell "Max" Whitehead (2 August 1922 – 26 March 2010) was an Australian professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1940s. Early years Whitehead grew up in Park Street, Narrabeen, New South Wales. Rugby league career He s ...

(1923–2010), Australian rugby league footballer *

Maxey Whitehead Maxey Whitehead (born June 15, 1981) is an American Voice acting, voice actress who provided voices for a number of English-language versions of Japanese anime films at Funimation. She is generally cast as young boys or young girls; her most notab ...

(born 1985), American voice actress *

Mike Whitehead Michael Joe Whitehead (born June 29, 1981) is a former professional mixed martial artist. He competed in the Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight weight classes for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, IFL, Affliction, and Strikeforce. Mixed martia ...

(born 1981), American mixed martial arts fighter *

Milt Whitehead Milton Pringle Whitehead (1862 - August 15, 1901) was a Major League Baseball player who played shortstop in . He would play for the St. Louis Maroons and Kansas City Cowboys Several sports team in Kansas City, Missouri have used the name Cowboy ...

(1862–1901), Canadian baseball player * Neville Whitehead (bassist), New Zealand jazz bassist and luthier *

Nick Whitehead Neville Joseph "Nick" Whitehead (29 May 1933 – 6 October 2002) was a Welsh sprinter. Early life and career Whitehead was born in Wrexham. He competed for Great Britain in the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome in the 4 × 100 metres relay where he ...

(1933–2002), Welsh sprinter * Nikki Whitehead (1975–2010), American mother murdered by her twin daughters Jasmiyah and Tasmiyah *

Nicole Whitehead The following women have appeared in the American or international edition of ''Playboy'' magazine as Playmate of the Month. Those who were also named Playmate of the Year are highlighted in green. A common misconception is that Marilyn Monroe wa ...

(born 1980), American model and Playboy Playmate *

Norman Whitehead Norman Whitehead (1915–1983) was a landscape painter, working chiefly around his hometown Alfreton, Derbyshire. Active mainly in the 1930s he was greatly influenced by the works of Paul Nash (artist), Paul Nash and the Vorticism movement, exper ...

(1915–1983, English landscape painter * O.Z. Whitehead (1911–1998), American actor and author *

Paul Whitehead Paul Whitehead is a British painter and graphic artist known for his surrealistic album covers for artists on the Charisma Records label in the 1970s, such as Genesis and Van der Graaf Generator. __TOC__ Life and work England: Liberty Records ...

, British painter and graphic artist * Paxton Whitehead (1937–2023), British actor * Peter Whitehead (disambiguation), multiple people *

Phil Whitehead Philip Matthew Whitehead (born 17 December 1969) is an English former professional football goalkeeper. He is mainly remembered for his playing days with Oxford United and Reading. At Reading he made some important penalty saves, including one a ...

(born 1969), English footballer * Phillip Whitehead (1937–2005), British politician, television producer and writer * R. Whitehead (cricketer), English cricketer between 1785 and 1800 *

Ralph Radcliffe Whitehead Ralph Radcliffe Whitehead (1854–1929) was the founder and chief benefactor of the "Byrdcliffe Arts and Crafts Colony" located in Woodstock, New York. Early life and influences He was born in 1854 in Saddleworth, Yorkshire, England. He was the ...

(1854–1929), founder of the Byrdcliffe Arts and Crafts Colony, New York *

Rex Whitehead Rex Vernon Whitehead (26 October 1948 – 26 June 2014) was an Australian Test cricket match umpire, from Victoria. He umpired 4 Test matches between 1981 and 1982. His first match was between Australia and India at Sydney on 2 January to 4 ...

(1948–2014), Australian cricket umpire * Richard Whitehead (disambiguation), multiple people * Richmal Oates-Whitehead (1970–2005), New Zealander who died in London * Robert Whitehead (disambiguation), multiple people *

Ron Whitehead Ron Whitehead is an American poet, author and activist. Whitehead was born on a farm in Kentucky, but traveled to the University of Louisville and Oxford University to pursue his academic interests. Career Ron Whitehead has been involved in ma ...

, American poet * Rowland Whitehead (disambiguation), multiple people *

Stanley Whitehead Sir Stanley Austin Whitehead (8 October 1907 – 9 January 1976) was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party. He was the eighteenth Speaker of the House of Representatives from 1973 to 1976, and Member of Parliament for the Nelson electo ...

(1911–1976), New Zealand politician * Stanley Whitehead (physicist) (1902–1956), British physicist * Steve Whitehead (born 1960), English photorealist painter *

Stuart Whitehead Stuart David Whitehead (born 17 July 1976) is an English former footballer. He played as a right-back or centre-back. Career Born in Bromsgrove, Whitehead began his career at his hometown club Bromsgrove Rovers. After a season with the club, h ...

(born 1976), English footballer *

Tahir Whitehead Tahir Ali Whitehead (born April 2, 1990) is a former American football linebacker. He played college football for Temple University, and was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the fifth round of the 2012 NFL Draft. Early years A native of Newark, ...

(born 1990), American football player *

Terrell Whitehead Terrell Whitehead (born September 18, 1988) is a former American football free safety. He was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at Norfolk State. Jacksonville Jaguars Whitehead wa ...

(born 1988), American football player *

Terrence Whitehead Terrence Harrell Whitehead (born May 31, 1983) is a former American football running back. He was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football at Oregon. Whitehead has also been a member of the B ...

(born 1983), American football player * Thomas Whitehead (disambiguation), multiple people *

Þór Whitehead Þór Whitehead (Thor Whitehead) (born 19 August 1943) is an Icelandic historian. He is currently a professor at the University of Iceland. Thor has written extensively on the history of Iceland during World War II and the Cold War. His best know ...

(Thor Whitehead) (born 1943), Icelandic historian *

Thora Whitehead Thora Patricia Whitehead (27 January 1936 – 30 September 2021) was an Australian scientific collector and malacologist. She collected more than 200,000 shell specimens which are now held in the Queensland Museum. Life and work With Kevin L ...

(1936–2021), Australian shell collector and malacologist * Tim Whitehead (born 1961), American ice hockey coach * Tim Whitehead (born 1988), South African rugby union player * William Whitehead (disambiguation) (including Willie), multiple people *

Walter Whitehead Walter Whitehead, , (12 October 1840 – 19 August 1913) was a surgeon at various hospitals in Manchester, England, and held the chair of Clinical Surgery at the Victoria University of Manchester. He was president of the British Medica ...

(1840–1913), English surgeon

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Whitehead (Surname) English-language surnames

See also

References