ðə sˈɛkənd sˈʌn ʌv ɹˈɑːbɚt wˈɪt ʌv bˈɛnɑːtʃi nˌɪɹ kɜːkˈɑːdi ɪn fˈaɪf, ˈædvəkˌeɪt, ænd dʒˈiːn, dˈɔːɾɚɹ ʌv ˈæntəni mˈɜːɹeɪ ʌv wˈʊdɛnd, pˈɜːθʃɚ, hiː wʌz bˈɔːɹn ɪn ˈɛdɪnbʌɹə ˌɔn sˈɪks sɛptˈɛmbɚ wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd sˈɛvənhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹtiːn, sˈɪks mˈʌnθs ˈæftɚ hɪz fˈɑːðɚz dˈɛθ.
The second son of Robert Whytt of Bennochy (near Kirkcaldy in Fife), advocate, and Jean, daughter of Antony Murray of Woodend, Perthshire, he was born in Edinburgh on 6 September 1714, six months after his father's death.