Hello - there is a link with these names. There was no standard spelling in those days, so names were recorded as they were spoken, so a lot is down to varying regional accents. The original name was de Heblethwayte, from 1316 - an Agnes paid her poll tax in York. This became Hebblethwaite, which is typical of the Yorkshire dialect. My branch moved to County Durham, c1610 and thereafter it's recorded as Hepplewhite, which fits the Geordie accent. An ancestor called Thomas was born in 1650 and he had a brother called Cuthbert, c1648. There father was Thomas, born in 1610 in Barnard Castle, Co. Durham. His father was called George and we can't find anything on him, but guess he was born c1580. Now Cuthbert born in 1648 was the grandfather of George Hepplewhite, c1725, the famous cabinet maker. After an apprenticeship in Lancaster, he moved to London and died in 1786. Around this time the name Applewhite appears - though he never spelt it that way. Applewhite fits the Cockney dialect. Got to go, hope this helps. Mark Hepplewhite.