Surname Saturday – White

Darling – White
By Don Taylor

Surname Origin – White

Simply, the surname “White” typically comes from a nickname, “the white,” signifying a person with white hair or pale complexion. Typically, it comes from English, Scottish, and Irish ancestors.[i]

Geographical

There are currently about a million people who bear the White surname. That is about 800 thousand in the United States, with about 150 thousand in England. Australia and Canada each have over 50,000 “Whites.”[ii]

In the United States, Texas, California, and Georgia all have move than 50,000 “Whites”.[iii]

Direct White Ancestors

• • 6^th Great-Grandmother: Mehitable White (1689-1730)?
  • 7^th Great-Grandfather: Thomas White (1665-1743)??
  • 8^th Great-Grandfather: Joseph White (1636-1706)???
  • 9^th Great-Grandfather: Thomas White (1599-1679)????

(Note: I have not personally researched any of these potential ancestors. I use the “?” above to indicate my confidence in the relationship.)

Certainly, our Whites came to America during the “Great Migration of Puritans from England to New England” (1620–1643). I need to research the individuals to feel right adding historical context to their lives.

Mehitable White Descendants

Mehitable White married Benjamin Darling in 1708.  My records have identified 393 direct-line descendants of Mehitable (and Benjamin).[iv] Fourteen of these descendants I have written about at least sixteen times previously.

96.  Abner Darling(1747-c.1795)
97.  Abner Darling (b. 1780-1839)
    – – – – –Abstract & Will of Abner Darling (1780-1839)
    – – – – -48-i – Andrew W. Darling(1805-1864) – Rufus’ Oldest Brother
    – – – – -48-ii – Abner C. Darling(1805-1864) – Rufus’ 2nd Oldest Brother
    – – – – -48-iii – Deidamia Darling (1813-?) – Rufus’ Oldest Sister
    – – – – -48-iv – Rufus Holton Darling – See #24 Above
    – – – – -48-v – Henry W. Darling (1818-1857) – Rufus’ 3nd Oldest Brother
    – – – – -48-vi – ?Sally Ann Darling (c. 1820-) – Rufus’ 2nd Oldest Sister
    – – – – -48-vii – ?Hannah Darling (c. 1825-) – Rufus’ Youngest Sister
    – – – – -48-viii – Franklin C. Darling (c. 1827-) – Rufus’ Youngest Brother
98.  Rufus Holton Darling (1816-1857)
99.  Rufus Harry Darling(1857-1917)
    – – – – – Rufus Harry Darling in the News
100.  Robert Harry Darling(1907-1969)
     100 Years Ago – Robert Harry Darling – (1907-1969)
     – – – – – 6B – Robert’s Sister – Elizabeth Grace Darling – (1906-1987)

Mehitable is currently number 16 in my “To be Researched” plan in the Darling Line Research. However, her son, Ebenezer Darling (1718-1790) is only number five in my Hopefully, I will get to researching him later this year. Certainly, the White ancestors will prove interesting to research. I can’t wait to get to researching them.

AncestryDNA® Thrulines has identified two 7^th cousins, one 6^th cousin, and a 4^th cousin for further investigation.

Endnotes:

[i] Internet:  Ancestry – “White Family History” https://www.ancestry.com/name-origin?surname=White.

[ii] Internet: Forebears – “White Surname Definition” https://forebears.io/surnames/white.

[iii] Ibid.

[iv] Internet: Don Taylor Genealogy – “Darling: The Ancestors of the Darling & Huber Family Line” https://dontaylorgenealogy.com/blog-page_3/.