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Wait Family History

Wait Surname Meaning

English: variant of Waite.

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


Similar surnames: 

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Wait family from?

You can see how Wait families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Wait family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Wait families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 178 Wait families living in London. This was about 14% of all the recorded Wait's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Wait families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Wait 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 Wait ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Wait. 15% of Wait men worked as a General Labourer and 73% of Wait women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Wait were Bus Driver and Housewife.

View Census Data for Wait | 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

  • General Labourer
    15%
  • Farmer
    9%
  • Police Constable
    9%
  • Bus Driver
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    73%
  • Private Means
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%

What Wait family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 75,000 census records available for the last name Wait. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Wait census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Wait

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Wait. 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 Wait immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 12,000 military records available for the last name Wait. For the veterans among your Wait ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Wait military records

You've only scratched the surface of Wait family history

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What is the average Wait lifespan?

Between 1952 and 2004, in the United States, Wait life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 1962. The average life expectancy for Wait in 1952 was 46, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Wait

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Wait 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Wait family tree

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