Whitehead is a surname. Recorded in a number of spellings including Whithead, Whitehed, Whithed, and Whitsed, this surname is of English 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
Alan Whitehead (disambiguation), multiple people
Alfred North Whitehead (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 (born 1955), English jazz trombone player Axle Whitehead (born 1980), Australian entertainer Barb Whitehead (born 1961), American golfer Ben Whitehead (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 (born 1939), American football player Bus Whitehead (1928–2010), American basketball player Burgess Whitehead (1910–1993), American baseball player Charles Whitehead (1804–1862), English poet, novelist and dramatist Charlie Whitehead (1899-1972), Australian rules footballer Chris Whitehead (born 1986), English rugby union player Christian Whitehead, Australian video game developer Chryssie Whitehead American actress, singer and dancer Cindy Whitehead (born 1962), American skateboarder Clay T. Whitehead (1938–2008), United States government official in charge of telecommunications Clive Whitehead (born 1955), English footballer - Bristol City and West Bromwich Albion Colson Whitehead (born 1969), American author David Whitehead (disambiguation), multiple people Dean Whitehead (born 1982), English footballer Derek Whitehead (born 1944), English rugby league footballer Don Whitehead (1908–1981), American journalist Donald R. Whitehead (1938–1990), American entomologist Donald S. Whitehead (1888-1957), American politician from Idaho Edward Whitehead (1908–1978), spokesman and later president of Schweppes Edgar Whitehead (1905–1971), Rhodesian politician Elliott Whitehead (born 1989), English rugby league player Emily Whitehead (born 2000), Australian artistic gymnast Ennis Whitehead (1895–1964), Lieutenant General U.S. Air Force Fionn Whitehead (born 1996/1997), English actor Frank Whitehead (Canadian politician), Canadian politician Frank Whitehead (mayor) (1892–1976), American politician from Florida Frederick Whitehead, (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 (born 1941), New Zealand composer Graham Whitehead (1922–1981), British racing driver Gregory Whitehead, 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 (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.