Wait Surname

55,154th
Most Common
surname in the World

Approximately 9,216 people bear this surname

Most prevalent in:
United States
Highest density in:
Isle of Man

Wait Surname Definition:

This surname is derived from an official title. 'the wait,' i.e. watchman (v. Wayt for a longer notice); also musicians in general. 'The waytis blew lowde.' 'Grete lordys were at the assent, Waytys blewe, to mete they wente.': Halliwell.

Robert le Weyte, Oxfordshire, 1273.

Read More About This Surname

Wait Surname Distribution Map

PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
United States4,1861:86,5889,770
South Africa1,6171:33,5054,281
England1,1381:48,9616,104
Australia9761:27,6603,756
Canada4051:90,9779,993
New Zealand1181:38,3766,521
Wales1001:30,9453,130
Papua New Guinea831:98,23813,191
Kenya801:577,24927,285
Philippines581:1,745,487112,199
Scotland531:101,0156,880
Malaysia501:589,88428,692
Brazil431:4,978,473128,213
Iran411:1,872,74468,622
Nigeria391:4,542,122122,724
Indonesia291:4,560,317223,141
India281:27,395,192354,286
Afghanistan151:2,143,54615,005
France121:5,535,227269,324
Tanzania111:4,812,87455,358
Spain111:4,250,18575,241
Czechia101:1,063,34780,937
Germany91:8,945,051266,530
United Arab Emirates81:1,145,28440,289
Switzerland81:1,026,61463,315
Isle of Man71:12,2602,387
Northern Ireland61:307,50612,899
Qatar61:393,00055,922
Pakistan51:35,728,777102,388
Saudi Arabia41:7,713,95437,548
Belgium41:2,874,161111,046
Singapore41:1,376,92628,409
China41:341,830,39216,990
Egypt41:22,983,93862,368
Malta41:107,5681,849
Namibia31:803,13415,170
Thailand31:23,546,115908,588
Jersey31:33,0674,675
Taiwan31:7,814,91541,694
Denmark21:2,822,35876,882
Italy21:30,578,344160,757
Vietnam21:46,323,0275,235
Japan11:127,844,29373,547
Honduras11:8,816,4429,272
Cambodia11:15,487,14614,824
Uruguay11:3,431,75838,295
Zimbabwe11:15,438,240133,260
Bangladesh11:159,356,77326,077
Austria11:8,515,435118,036
Argentina11:42,743,414282,706
Ghana11:27,020,69223,742
Uganda11:39,039,279258,887
Turkey11:77,821,422191,047
Kuwait11:3,800,69427,187
Lithuania11:3,034,58847,401
South Korea11:51,240,2568,015
Chile11:17,616,47493,597
Mexico11:124,126,205103,776
Hong Kong11:7,335,48316,643
Russia11:144,123,056881,408
Myanmar11:51,937,9852,166
Poland11:38,008,749231,653
Finland11:5,496,70284,025
Norway11:5,142,286129,201
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
Ireland101:442,98715,290
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
England1,3751:17,7282,570
Scotland831:45,0993,253
Wales731:21,4851,237
Jersey11:51,8823,898
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
United States4,1031:12,2401,583

Wait (364) may also be a first name.

Wait Surname Meaning

From Where Does The Surname Originate? meaning and history

This surname is derived from an official title. 'the wait,' i.e. watchman (v. Wayt for a longer notice); also musicians in general. 'The waytis blew lowde.' 'Grete lordys were at the assent, Waytys blewe, to mete they wente.': Halliwell.

Robert le Weyte, Oxfordshire, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Sarra le Weyte, Oxfordshire, ibid.

Ralph le Weyte, or Wayte, Essex, ibid.

Henry le Weyte. Calendarium Rotulorum Chartarum.

Robert le Wayte. Rolls of Parliament.

Johannes Wayte, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Willelmus Wayte, 1379: ibid.

1636. Buried — Barbara, wife of Thomas Waite: St. James, Clerkenwell.

A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (1896) by Charles Wareing Endell Bardsley

This surname is derived from an official title. 'the wait', a natural corruption. This variant led on to the imitative Weight.

1595. Baptised — Alice, d. Richard Waight, poulter: St. Peter, Cornhill.

1610. Rondulph Waight, Cheshire: Register of the University of Oxford.

1665. Buried — Mary Waight died of the plague: St. James, Clerkenwell.

1795. Married — John Waight and Charlotte Griffith: St. George, Hanover Square.

A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (1896) by Charles Wareing Endell Bardsley

From the ME. waite, a watchman, sentinel, which again is from OF. waite, a guard. Adam Wayt, witness in Aberbrothoc, 1312 (RAA I, p. 289), and Thomas dictus Weyt, chaplain, Inverness, 1361 (REM., p. 305). Huchown the Wate, tacksman in Grenyng and Bankis in Marwek, 1492 (REO., p. 407). Thomas Waith was a witness in Kelso in 1505 (Kelso, 535). George Wait witnessed an instrument of sasine in 1525 (Home, 35), Robert Waitt is recorded in Stitchill in 1684 (Stitchill, p. 97), and George Waitt in Manderstoun in 1665 (Lauder).

The Surnames of Scotland (1946) by George Fraser Black (1866-1948)

(Anglo-French-Teut.) Watchman [M.E wayte, &c., Old French waite, O.Sax O.H.Ger. wahta, a guard, watchman Atte laste by fortune he [Sir Gareth] cam to a castel, and ther he heard the waites uppon the walles.—Morte d'Arthur, VII. xxx.

The corresponding mod. French surname is Guet. "A Lille, l'agent de police est appelé guet.

Surnames of the United Kingdom (1912) by Henry Harrison

(English) The watchman or lookout, especially a watchman in a castle or fortified place.

Dictionary of American Family Names (1956) by Elsdon Coles Smith

In the Prompt. Parv. a watchman; but more generally understood to be a minstrel, especially one who performs in the night. See Halliwell, and Jamieson. Le Wayte. H.R.

Patronymica Britannica (1860) by Mark Antony Lower

Local. The same as Thwaite, a piece of ground cleared of wood, a meadow.

An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names (1857) by William Arthur

(H.R. Le Wayte) = watchman. See Prompt. Parv.

Ludus Patronymicus (1868) by Richard Stephen Charnock

Robert La Waite, Normandy 1180 (Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae); William La Waite, Eng. 1199 (Rotuli Curiae Regis); Adam La Wayte, &c., Eng. c. 1272 (Rotuli Hundredorum).

The Norman People (1874)

Wait Last Name Facts

Where Does The Last Name Wait Come From? nationality or country of origin

The surname Wait (Oriya: ୱାଇତ୍) is borne by more people in The United States than any other country or territory. It can be found in the variant forms:. Click here for further potential spellings of this last name.

How Common Is The Last Name Wait? popularity and diffusion

The surname is the 55,154th most frequently occurring surname globally, held by approximately 1 in 790,749 people. The surname Wait occurs predominantly in The Americas, where 50 percent of Wait reside; 50 percent reside in North America and 49 percent reside in Anglo-North America. Wait is also the 456,229th most frequently used first name worldwide It is held by 364 people.

This last name is most frequently occurring in The United States, where it is held by 4,186 people, or 1 in 86,588. In The United States Wait is mostly found in: California, where 11 percent reside, Missouri, where 9 percent reside and Texas, where 7 percent reside. Excluding The United States it occurs in 63 countries. It is also found in South Africa, where 18 percent reside and England, where 12 percent reside.

Wait Family Population Trend historical fluctuation

The occurrence of Wait has changed through the years. In The United States the number of people carrying the Wait last name expanded 102 percent between 1880 and 2014; in England it decreased 17 percent between 1881 and 2014; in Wales it expanded 137 percent between 1881 and 2014 and in Scotland it decreased 36 percent between 1881 and 2014.

Wait Last Name Statistics demography

The religious adherence of those holding the last name is chiefly Anglican (100%) in Ireland and Orthodox (80%) in Russia.

In The United States those bearing the Wait last name are 15.86% more likely to be registered Republicans than the national average, with 62.63% being registered to vote for the party.

The amount Wait earn in different countries varies notably. In South Africa they earn 20.77% more than the national average, earning R 286,992 per year; in United States they earn 7.43% more than the national average, earning $46,355 USD per year and in Canada they earn 4.41% more than the national average, earning $51,873 CAD per year.

Phonetically Similar Names

SurnameSimilarityWorldwide IncidencePrevalency
Waite8952,355/
Waitt891,088/
Hwait89760/
Waith89405/
Whait89354/
Waiat89237/
Wajit8961/
Waiet8948/
Waiut8925/
Wayit8915/
Waidt896/
Waiht892/
Waizt891/
Wat8612,425/
Wit865,972/
Waithe802,622/
Whaite80394/
Waitte8092/
Waitts8049/
Wajith8014/
Wayite808/
Waicht804/
Waieet804/
Whaitz802/
Waggit801/
Waittz801/
Wwaite800/
Witt7599,263/
Watt7577,794/
Wate7521,601/
Bait7520,829/
With759,393/
Waid755,684/
Wadt751,743/
Wayt751,201/
Weit751,052/
Whit751,022/
Wath75992/
Hwat75855/
Wite75732/
Vait75429/
Woit75388/
Wiet75306/
What75274/
Widt75137/
Waat7572/
Wuat7558/
Waut7550/
Weat7546/
Wijt7541/
Wajt7531/
Wißt7528/
Vwat7521/
Waht759/
Hwit754/
Wiht753/
Watd753/
Wuit753/
Wizt751/
Vwit751/
Witd751/
Waggitt73157/
Whaitte7317/
Waitová7312/
Waaitte731/
Hwaiteh731/
Whaitts731/
Waitthe731/
Waggith730/
White671,176,396/
Witte6753,620/
Wajid6738,784/
Whitt6722,262/
Wheat6717,053/
Vaith673,054/
Watte671,720/
Weith671,269/
Weidt671,008/
Woite671,002/
Wayte67917/
Wijit67702/
Wieth67656/
Withe67587/
Wathe67520/
Bajit67463/
Wuite67447/
Wisth67383/
Woidt67382/
Wayet67324/
Weate67320/
Woith67268/
Waadt67258/
Weite67246/
Hwaid67220/
Wahat67210/
Whaid67210/
Baiet67206/
Bayit67195/
Vajit67182/
Wijte67177/
Wijts67176/
Baiat67159/
Woitt67151/
Waate67149/
Wiszt67136/
Whatt67121/
Whate67110/
Wayts67109/
Vaist67105/
Waedt67100/
Wiedt6795/
Width6795/
Wisst6795/
Vaite6793/
Vaitz6781/
Wayat6778/
Wayth6773/
Waidh6765/
Vaits6765/
Wayid6760/
Wihte6756/
Wajut6754/
Wadte6742/
Baait6742/
Wattø6741/
Waute6741/
Woyat6739/
Wujat6739/
Baitt6734/
Wawet6734/
Wiott6732/
D'Wit6732/
Waytt6730/
Vhait6724/
Weitt6723/
Wuiot6723/
Wiyot6722/
Wijat6722/
Wayot6721/
Wajat6719/
Hwitt6719/
Wauts6719/
Hwatz6718/
Wejit6717/
Whiet6715/
Weijt6715/
Weath6714/
Wayut6714/
Baiot6714/
Waicz6714/
Wastå6714/
Weyat6713/
Wiyat6713/
Wizst6712/
Watth6712/
Washt6712/
Wauth6711/
Whith6710/
Vayit6710/
Waied679/
Waszt679/
Wahut678/
Wahts678/
Witth677/
Wojat677/
Waytz676/
Wijot676/
Whidt675/
Hwatt675/
Wajts674/
Weats674/
Wheit674/
Wautz674/
Hweat674/
Waaid673/
Woits673/
Waihd673/
Wiett672/
Wahte672/
Whoit672/
Wgatt672/
Hwite672/
Waiad672/
Waiid672/
Wahst672/
Vaiet672/
Waath672/
Weatt671/
Wajet671/
Hwate671/
Waidd671/
Waisd671/
Wajth671/
Wuath671/
Wioth671/
Witht671/
Wihtt671/
Whitd671/
Whitp671/
Wattd671/
Wattt671/
Weizt671/
Vaitt671/
Vaidt671/
Waats671/
Waust671/
Weiht671/
Wuitt671/
Wajht671/
Hwast671/
Hwist671/
Wijdt671/
Wejat671/
Weiit671/
Whaat671/
Wahtd671/
Wajst671/
Waitehed671/
Wuate671/
Wuith671/
Wittt671/
Baiut671/
Hweit671/
Baiit671/
Weiat671/
Whaht671/
Whast671/
Wahht671/
Waaat671/
Waatt671/
Waatz671/
Wuayt671/
Wayht670/
Wuist670/
Wists670/
Wasts670/
Wastt670/
Waudt670/
Whiot670/
Widte670/

Wait Name Transliterations

TransliterationICU LatinPercentage of Incidence
Wait in the Oriya language
ୱାଇତ୍wa'it50
ୱାଇଟwa'ita50

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Wait Reference & Research

Waite DNA Website - A web page dedicated to the genetic research of those who bear the surname and its variants.

Waite FamilyTree DNA Project - A description of a group researching the paternal lines of men who bear the surname with the help of DNA analysis.

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Footnotes

  • Surnames are taken as the first part of an person's inherited family name, caste, clan name or in some cases patronymic
  • Descriptions may contain details on the name's etymology, origin, ethnicity and history. They are largely reproduced from 3rd party sources; diligence is advised on accepting their validity - more information
  • Name distribution statistics are generated from a global database of over 4 billion people - more information
  • Heatmap: Dark red means there is a higher occurrence of the name, transitioning to light yellow signifies a progressively lower occurrence. Clicking on selected countries will show mapping at a regional level
  • Rank: Name are ranked by incidence using the ordinal ranking method; the name that occurs the most is assigned a rank of 1; name that occur less frequently receive an incremented rank; if two or more name occur the same number of times they are assigned the same rank and successive rank is incremented by the total preceeding names
  • Ethnic group cannot necessarily be determined by geographic occurrence
  • Similar: Names listed in the "Similar" section are phonetically similar and may not have any relation to Wait
  • To find out more about this surname's family history, lookup records on Family​Search, My​Heritage, FindMyPast and Ancestry. Further information may be obtained by DNA analysis