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Wight Family History

Wight Surname Meaning

Scottish and English: nickname from Middle English wiht wight ‘agile nimble strong brave’ (Old Norse víg with the Old Norse neuter suffix -t for which compare the word scant) or from the corresponding Older Scots word wicht. Possibly sometimes a nickname from Middle English wight ‘living creature; small portion or thing’ or from the corresponding Older Scots word wicht.

English: habitational name from the Isle of Wight. The island is recorded as Vectis (its Latin name) c. 150 AD. Its name derives from a British word perhaps related to Welsh gwaith ‘turn course’ meaning ‘place of the division’ in reference to the island's position in the Solent.

English and Scottish: variant of White.

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


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Where is the Wight family from?

You can see how Wight families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Wight family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Wight families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 257 Wight families living in London. This was about 20% of all the recorded Wight's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Wight families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Wight 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 Wight ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Farmer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Wight. 14% of Wight men worked as a Farmer and 75% of Wight women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Wight were Lorry Driver and Retired.

View Census Data for Wight | 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

  • Farmer
    14%
  • General Labourer
    11%
  • Farmer Assa Father
    7%
  • Lorry Driver
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    75%
  • Private Means
    5%
  • Incapacitated
    4%
  • Retired
    2%

What Wight family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 73,000 census records available for the last name Wight. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Wight census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Wight

Passenger Lists

There are 10,000 immigration records available for the last name Wight. 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 Wight immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 9,000 military records available for the last name Wight. For the veterans among your Wight ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Wight military records

You've only scratched the surface of Wight family history

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What is the average Wight lifespan?

Between 1948 and 2004, in the United States, Wight life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1948, and highest in 1988. The average life expectancy for Wight in 1948 was 30, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Wight

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Wight 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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