Witherspoon ( ) is a Scottish surname, deriving from the elements ''wether'', an archaic name for 'sheep' and ''spang'', which means 'a narrow strip of land'. The name is found in the county of

Lanarkshire Lanarkshire, also called the County of Lanark ( gd, Siorrachd Lannraig; sco, Lanrikshire), is a historic county, lieutenancy area and registration county in the central Lowlands of Scotland. Lanarkshire is the most populous county in Scotlan ...

List

Notable people with the name include:

Athletics

* Ahkello Witherspoon (born 1995), American football player * Brian Witherspoon (born 1985), American football player *

Chazz Witherspoon Chazz Witherspoon (born September 16, 1981) is an American former professional boxer. The second cousin of former boxing champion Tim Witherspoon, he emerged as a talented boxer in the 2000s. He won the 2004 National Golden Gloves finals in Kansas ...

(born 1981), heavyweight boxer * Derrick Witherspoon (born 1971), former American football and Canadian football player *

Devon Witherspoon Devon Witherspoon (born December 11, 2000) is an American football cornerback for the Illinois Fighting Illini. He was a consensus All-American and was named the Tatum–Woodson Defensive Back of the Year in 2022. High school career Witherspoon ...

(born 2000), American football player * Jim Witherspoon (born 1951), retired Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman * Reggie Witherspoon (basketball), head coach of the University at Buffalo men's basketball team * Reggie Witherspoon (sprinter) (born 1985), American sprinter *

Sophia Witherspoon Sophia L. Witherspoon (born July 6, 1969) is a former American college and professional basketball player who was a guard for seven seasons in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Witherspoon played college basketball for the Unive ...

(born 1969), former WNBA basketball player *

Tim Witherspoon Tim Witherspoon (born December 27, 1957) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1979 to 2003. He was a two-time world heavyweight champion, having held the WBC title in 1984, and the WBA title in 1986. Witherspoon also wor ...

(born 1957), American boxer twice recognized as Heavyweight Champion of the World *

Will Witherspoon William Cordell Witherspoon (born August 19, 1980) is a former American football linebacker. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the third round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia. Professionally, he played fo ...

(born 1980), American football player

Entertainers

Cora Witherspoon Cora Witherspoon (January 5, 1890 – November 17, 1957) was an American stage and film character actress whose career spanned nearly half a century. She began in theatre where she remained rooted even after entering motion pictures in the ...

(1890–1957), American actress *

Dane Witherspoon Dane Witherspoon (December 27, 1957 – March 29, 2014) was an American actor who appeared in daytime TV soap operas ''Santa Barbara (TV series), Santa Barbara'' as Joe Perkins in 1984, and in ''Capitol (TV series), Capitol'' as Tyler McCan ...

(1957–2014), American actor *

Herbert Witherspoon Herbert Witherspoon (July 21, 1873 – May 10, 1935) was an American bass singer and opera manager. Biography He was born on July 21, 1873, in Buffalo, New York. He graduated from Yale University in 1895 where he had performed as a member o ...

(1873–1935), American bass singer and opera manager *

Jimmy Witherspoon James Witherspoon (August 8, 1920 – September 18, 1997) was an American jump blues singer. Early life, family and education Witherspoon was born in Gurdon, Arkansas. His father was a railroad worker who sang in local choirs, and his mot ...

(1920–1997), American blues singer *

John Witherspoon (actor) John Weatherspoon (January 27, 1942 – October 29, 2019), better known as John Witherspoon, was an American actor and comedian who performed in various television shows and films. Witherspoon is best remembered for his role as Willie Jones in ...

(1942–2019), American comedy actor *

Lajon Witherspoon Lajon Witherspoon (born October 3, 1972) is an American singer and songwriter who is the lead vocalist of Atlanta-based rock band Sevendust. Members from bands such as Staind, Seether, Alter Bridge, and Diecast have listed Witherspoon and Sevend ...

(born 1972), vocalist for the Atlanta-based alternative metal band Sevendust *

Reese Witherspoon Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon (born March 22, 1976) is an American actress and producer. The recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and two Golden Globe Awards, she ...

(born 1976), American actress and film producer

Politicians

Buddy Witherspoon Dr. Walter P. Witherspoon, better known as Buddy Witherspoon, served as the National Executive Committeeman of the South Carolina Republican Party from 1996 to 2008. In that capacity, he served as a voting member of the Republican National Comm ...

, former National Executive Committeeman of the South Carolina Republican Party * James Hervey Witherspoon, Jr., (1810–1865), Confederate States of America politician *

John Witherspoon John Witherspoon (February 5, 1723 – November 15, 1794) was a Scottish-American Presbyterian minister, educator, farmer, slaveholder, and a Founding Father of the United States. Witherspoon embraced the concepts of Scottish common sense reali ...

(1723–1794) clergyman and signatory of the United States Declaration of Independence **'' Doctor John Witherspoon'', a bronze sculpture in Washington D.C. by William Couper of John Witherspoon * Robert Witherspoon (1767–1837), U.S. Representative from South Carolina * Samuel Andrew Witherspoon (1855–1915), U.S. Representative from Mississippi

Others

* Frances M. Witherspoon, (1886–1973), American writer and activist *

Gary Witherspoon Gary J. Witherspoon (July 27, 1943-June 16, 2022) was a professor of Native American studies at the University of Washington. His area of expertise was the Navajo language and Navajo people, Navajo culture. Early life and education Born in 1943 ...

, Professor of American Indian studies at the University of Washington * Sarah Witherspoon, American mathematician * Sharon Witherspoon, British statistician

References

{{surname English-language surnames Surnames of English origin Surnames of Scottish origin