Whitman

Whitman is a surname of English origin and a place name in the United States. It appears in a range of contexts, including notable individuals and geographic locations.

The best-known bearer is Walt Whitman (1819–1892), the American poet whose Leaves of Grass helped shape 19th-century literature. Marcus Whitman (1802–1847) was a missionary physician, and Narcissa Whitman (1808–1847) was his wife and fellow missionary; their efforts are associated with the early white settlement of the Pacific Northwest. The surname is carried by many others in varied professions.

Geographically, Whitman, Massachusetts, is a town in Plymouth County, and Whitman County is a large county in eastern Washington state. The Whitman Mission National Historic Site, located near Waiilatpu in Washington, preserves the 1840s Whitman mission and interprets its history within the context of frontier era events.