Guild of One-Name Studies
One-name studies, Genealogy
Study: Whateley **** available for adoption ****
Variants: Whately
Category: 2 - A study where research using core genealogical datasets and transcriptions is well under way, but currently in some countries only.
Website: whateley.one-name.net/
Guild hosted website: whateley.one-name.net
DNA website: www.familytreedna.com/public/whateley
Study Associates: Jane Wilcox
Contact: Tony Whateley
The only variant is WHATELY.
It is rumoured that the second 'E' was dropped from WHATELEY by a clerk in Banbury in ca 1700.
There are only 44 WHATELY's in the 2002 ONS List.
The actor Kevin Whately has been linked into the "Whateley's of Warwickshire" tree (thanks to his WDYTYA program, in which some records used WHATELEY)
Variants such as WHATLEY (2577 in the 2002 ONS) will not be considered. This name originates in the Somerset village.
The name WHATELEY originates in the village of WHATELEY in North Warwickshire, near Tamworth in the parish of KINGSBURY
The earliest reference is in 1221, named as Wheatlege (from Whate, wheat, and leah, clearing)
The name spread south through Warwickshire, concentrating in the areas around Henley-in-Arden (and Studley, Beoley etc), Banbury and Stratford.
In 1596, William Whateley held a messuage in Whateley for the annual rent of 14 shillings.
In 1662, Thomas Whateley paid a Hearth Tax for 2 Hearths.
William Whateley was Mayor of Stratford in 1554-5 and a George Whateley in 1563-4 and also one in 1583-3 (John Shakespeare was Mayor in 1568-9)
Richard Whateley was Vicar/Mayor in Banbury in 1671.
Richard Whately (1787-1863), was Archbishop of Dublin (ancestor of the actor Kevin Whately)
Dame Leslie Whateley
Mary Darwall Whateley
In ONS of 2002, there are 264 WHATELEY's (estimated at 245 at present time using factor 0.93)
There were 28 WHATELEY families in 1881 census
Highest Incidence of Whateleys in UK Counties in1881
Highest Incidence of Whateleys in UK Towns in 1881
I (Tony L Whateley) was baptised in Harborne (St Peter's) in 1941, as was my great, great grandfather (Clement) in 1815. He lived on Harborne Road (Harborne Hill), which is where I now live. In 1881, Harborne was in Staffordshire and Kings Norton in Worcestershire.
In all the census returns from 1841 to 1901, 60-70% of the WHATELEY's resided in the 3 West Midland counties of Warwickshire/Worcestershire/Staffordshire.
Data for 1984-2005 shows 31 deaths in Warwickshire out of a total of 60 (next highest is Yorkshire with 7)
The US 1920 Census has 19 WHATELEY's with a British birthplace. (Olly Whateley. Involved in the Lindberg kidnapping emigrated to the US in 1930 from Birmingham.)
A number of WHATELEY's were transported to Australia and a number emigrated in the early 1900's. The Eligible Voters register for 1936 shows 20 in Victoria and 3 in NSW.
The Rev. David S. Whateley constructed a comprehensive tree for the "Whateley's of Warwickshire" a few years ago which he maintained on the Whateley.org website (no longer in use). This goes back to the early 1500's and he has kindly given me access.
I have my own ancestry back to 1745 (in Studley, Warks) This research has connected me with several more Whateley's (including 2 unknown cousins and an uncle) and I also have much false leads information
My tree is viewable on genesreunited and ancestry.co.uk.
The DNA project has recently started and the results will provide information about the evolution of the surname, distribution of the surname, confirm surname variants or find previouslyunknown variants.
The DNA project has a wider scope then the one-name study. Participation is invited from any male bearers of the surnames Waitley, Wately, Watley, Wattley,Weatley, Weatly, Whateley, Whately, Whatley, Wheatley, Wheatly, Whetley,Whiteley, Whitely, Whitley, Whitly, Witley, Wootley.
For more information about the DNA project please contact Tony Whateley or visit the website
http://www.familytreedna.com/public/whateley