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Waggett Family History

Waggett Surname Meaning

English (Lancashire Yorkshire and Durham): variant of Wackett with voicing of medial /k/ to /g/ which is perhaps from the Old French (Picard) personal name Waquet a diminutive of Wacke (see Wack). Alternatively the name might represent Middle English Anglo-Norman French wachet waget ‘light blue’ used of cloth of that color.

The surname could allude to someone who wore or sold blue cloth. English: perhaps a nickname from an unrecorded Middle English word wagge-hed from Middle English waggen ‘to wag’ + he(ve)d ‘head’; waggen with the hed meant ‘to nod; also nod in a coquettish or provocative manner’.

Absence of any known medieval bearers of the name however makes this proposed etymology less certain.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Waggett family from?

You can see how Waggett families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Waggett family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1851 and 1920. The most Waggett families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 100 Waggett families living in Durham. This was about 26% of all the recorded Waggett's in United Kingdom. Durham had the highest population of Waggett families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Waggett surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Waggett ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Builders Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Waggett. 39% of Waggett men worked as a Builders Labourer and 76% of Waggett women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Waggett were Farmer and Household Duties.

View Census Data for Waggett | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Builders Labourer
    39%
  • Old Age Pensioner
    16%
  • General Labourer
    16%
  • Farmer
    16%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    76%
  • Domestic Duties
    5%
  • Private Means
    4%
  • Household Duties
    4%

What Waggett family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 5,000 census records available for the last name Waggett. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Waggett census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Waggett

Passenger Lists

There are 493 immigration records available for the last name Waggett. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Waggett immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 499 military records available for the last name Waggett. For the veterans among your Waggett ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Waggett military records

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What is the average Waggett lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2004, in the United States, Waggett life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1987, and highest in 1988. The average life expectancy for Waggett in 1962 was 68, and 89 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Waggett

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Waggett ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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