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Waite Family History

Waite Surname Meaning

English (of Norman origin): occupational name for a watchman either in a town or castle from Anglo-Norman French waite ‘watchman member of the watch’ (of ancient Germanic origin; compare Wachter).

In the Middle Ages the town waits typically combined the functions of watchmen and musicians through being trumpeters or pipers.

There may also have been some late confusion with White or Wheat.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Waite family from?

You can see how Waite families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Waite family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Waite families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 1,763 Waite families living in Yorkshire. This was about 28% of all the recorded Waite's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Waite families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Waite 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 Waite 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 Waite. 8% of Waite men worked as a General Labourer and 67% of Waite women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Waite were Bricklayer and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Waite | 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
    8%
  • Builders Labourer
    4%
  • Gardener
    4%
  • Bricklayer
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    67%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

What Waite family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 222,000 census records available for the last name Waite. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Waite census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Waite

Passenger Lists

There are 31,000 immigration records available for the last name Waite. 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 Waite immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 26,000 military records available for the last name Waite. For the veterans among your Waite ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Waite military records

You've only scratched the surface of Waite family history

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What is the average Waite lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Waite life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Waite in 1944 was 24, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Waite

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Waite 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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