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A rare surname in England, and, seemingly, best represented in Yorkshire, as you point out. I think it is probably from a place name. There is a similar looking place name, Whixall, but that is in Shropshire. Q, W, and Wh are sometimes interchangeble in surnames, e.g., Wharmby and Quarmby, different versions of the same surname.
Whixall, Shropshire, has been explained as 'Hwittuc's nook of land', Hwittuc being a man's name.