Whitesides

Whitesides is a surname of English origin. It is commonly treated as a toponymic name derived from Whiteside, a place name that likely described a white hillside or snow-covered slope. The form Whitesides may arise as a plural or as an orthographic variant of Whiteside. The name spread from England to other English-speaking regions through emigration and colonization.

In the United States, the surname appears in historical records from the colonial era onward, with populations scattered across many states. Like many surnames of English origin, its distribution has diversified through intermarriage and migration, and today it is found in various countries with English linguistic connections.

Notable people with the surname include George M. Whitesides, an American chemist and professor at Harvard University, whose research has encompassed organic chemistry, materials science, and microfabrication. He is one of the more widely cited figures bearing the name.

Variants and related names include Whiteside, a closely related form. The surname Whitesides is relatively uncommon and primarily linked to English ancestry, with its bearers found in North America and other regions reached through historical migration.