This name is occasionally found in Cumberland, especially in the neighbourhood of Wigton. Probably it is of Scotch descent, having crossed the Border. Mr. Lower says (Patronymic Britannia), 'The Waughs of Help, Roxburghshire, held these lands from the 13th to the 17th century.' In this case the name does not come within the scope of this dictionary.

Willelmus Wahh, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

1696-7. Adam Runciman and Jane Waugh: Marriage Lic (London).

1699. Dr. John Waugh and Elizabeth Fiddes: ibid.

The author of The House of Glendinning (p. 5) says:"The common border name of Waugh is an abbreviation of Wau-chope, the Waughs are sprung from the Wauchopes and have the same arms." David de Waughe of Lanarkshire, Robert Walgh' de Hepe of Roxburghshire, and Thomas Walghe of Peeblesshire rendered homage in 1296 (Bain, II, p. 199,200, 206). William Waugh, shiriman, had a safe conduct into England, 1436 (ibid., IV, 999), and John Wach was a notary public in Peebles, 1448 (Peebles, 14). John Walcht was a monk of Neubotle in 1467 (Neubotle, p. 314), and William Wagh had a safe conduct to trade within England in 1445 (Bain, IV, 1178). John Wech witnessed a tack by the abbot of Cupar-Angus, 1521 (SCM., V, p. 294), Edward Wauch, a follower of the earl of Cassilis, was respited for murder, 1526 (RSS., I, 3386), James Waucht, a witness in Linlithgow, 1536 (Johnsoun), and Gavin Weiche, hospitaller in Holy Trinity Church, Edinburgh, 1543 (Soltre, p. 108). Jonet Wach recorded in Sandyhill, 1585 (Scon, p. 230), and Thomas Ratra alias Waich in Kinclaven, 1649 (DPD., II. p. 240). The Waughs of Heip held these lands from the thirteenth to the seventeenth century.

Though better known in the north of England and the Scottish border, this name is numerous enough in Ireland to be considered in this book. It may be regarded here primarily as an Ulster family: they are to be found in the hearth money rolls of Counties Monaghan, Antrim and Derry (1664-69). The Waugh arms inscribed (1751) on a tombstone in the parish of Muckamore, Co. Antrim, are those of a lowland Scottish family from Roxburghshire. In the Donegal hearth money rolls MacWaughe occurs, suggesting a Gaelic origin for the name, but Waugh is unquestionably derived from the Old- English word walh meaning foreign, and MacWaughe may be a clerk's attempt to write MacVeagh (see Irish Families p. 136): the MacVaghs who appear in the contemporary “census” are certainly MacVeaghs.

In recent times outside of Ulster and Dublin the name Waugh is rare: a few are to be found in Counties Cork and Offaly. At Carrick- on-Shannon Vagh and Vaugh (but not MacVagh) are recorded as synonyms of Waugh.

(N.Eng. and Scot.) Dweller at a Wall [Old English wág, wáh; whence scot. waugh, Wauch, a wall] Willelmus Wahh.—Yorks Poll-Tax, A.D. 1379.

As this is more specifically a Border name, the Wall in question is doubtless Hadrian’s.

Originating on the Scottish border, this name has been numerous in Ulster since the seventeenth century. SIF 153

(Scottish) Dweller at, or near, the wall.

1. A Scottish pronunciation of wall. 2. In Lancashire, wa' or wau is a well, and there are many places in that county called the "wa' (or wau) head," meaning the source of running water. 3. A corruption of Walugh, perhaps the same as the Gaelic Christian name Woloe. The Waughs of Heip, co. Roxburgh, held those lands from the XIII. to the XVII. cent.

The Waughs, who are now established in England in the counties of Northumberland and Durham, probably hail originally from the Waughs of the Scottish border counties, where the name still has its home, especially in Roxburghshire and Dumfriesshire. The Waughs of Heip, in Roxburghshire, held those lands from the 13th to the 17th century (L.).