Whitsun

Whitsun
Recorded in many spellings including Whitson, Whitsun, Whiteson, Whittson, Whetson, Witson, Wittson and possibly others, this is an English and occasionally Scottish, medieval surname. It is believed to have two origins. The must usual like the surname White, is from the pre 7th century Olde English word 'hwit' which does mean white. As such it may have referred either to a person with white hair or complexion, but more likely was used by the resident Anglo-Saxons as an ethnic descriptive name for a Viking. If so, it was probably not entirely friendly! Perhaps however when it became a patronymic, the early enmities had been lost. The second possible origin is locational from a place called Whitston, or the White Stone. Prominent white stones were often used as boundary markers for counties or district councils, and sometimes became villages in their own right. This would seem to be the case in the villages of Whitston in Devon and Cornwall, and Whitestone, of which examples exist in Hereford, Devon, and even the Isle of Man. The earliest examples of the surname recording are believed to be those of Nicholas Witesone of the village of Battle in the county of Sussex in in the year 1292, Walter Hwyttesone of Shropshire in 1318, and John Witsesone of Sussex in 1327. William Quhitsoun was recorded in Perth, Scotland, in 1369. Other recordings include Elizabeth Whitson at St Dunstans in the East, Stepney, in 1592, and Francis Witson, who was christened at St Botolphs without Aldgate, in the city of London, on October 18th 1719.

Surnames reference. 2013.

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  • Whitsun — (Old English for White Sunday ) is the 49th day (seventh Sunday) after Easter Sunday. In the Christian calendar, it is also known as Pentecost, commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples.It has that meaning in the following:* …   Wikipedia

  • Whitsun — Whit sun, a. Of, pertaining to, or observed at, Whitsuntide; as, Whitsun week; Whitsun Tuesday; Whitsun pastorals. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Whitsun — [hwit′sən, wit′sən] adj. [ME whitsone < whitsondei, understood as Whitsun Day: see WHITSUNDAY] of or observed on Whitsunday or at Whitsuntide …   English World dictionary

  • Whitsun — late 13c., contraction of WHITSUNDAY (Cf. Whitsunday) …   Etymology dictionary

  • Whitsun — UK [ˈwɪts(ə)n] / US / US [ˈhwɪts(ə)n] or Whitsuntide UK [ˈwɪts(ə)nˌtaɪd] / US / US [ˈhwɪts(ə)nˌtaɪd] noun [uncountable] the seventh Sunday after Easter, when Christians celebrate the time when the Holy Spirit came from Heaven to Earth. The… …   English dictionary

  • Whitsun — ► NOUN ▪ Whitsuntide …   English terms dictionary

  • Whitsun —    The English name for the Church festival otherwise called Pentecost, held on the seventh Sunday after Easter as the commemoration of the descent of the Holy Spirit and the inspiration of the Apostles. The derivation of the word Whitsun is… …   A Dictionary of English folklore

  • Whitsun — noun Whitsun is used before these nouns: ↑recess …   Collocations dictionary

  • Whitsun — Whit|sun [ˈwıtsən] n [U and C] BrE 1.) also .Whit Sunday the seventh Sunday after Easter, when Christians celebrate the ↑Holy Spirit coming down from heaven = ↑pentecost 2.) also Whit|sun|tide [ˈwıtsəntaıd] the period around Whitsun …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • Whitsun — [OE] Whitsun is etymologically ‘white Sunday’. The name comes from the ancient tradition of clothing newly baptized people in white on the feast of Pentecost. The abbreviated form Whit began to be used with other days of the week (such as Whit… …   The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins

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