Whiteway is located in a large open cove, known as Witless Bay.

At the centre of the bay is Witless Rock, "a distinctive and jagged protrusion shown on English maps as early as 1775.

A family tradition maintains that a man named Burgess, who deserted the ship Royal Gazette at Crocker's Cove in about 1847, was the first permanent settler.

[1] Originally known as Witless Bay, the community was renamed to Whiteway by proclamation on August 13, 1912.

[2] This was done to avoid confusion with another Witless Bay, and in honour of former Prime Minister William Whiteway.