This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.
Surname Header Image
Get access to Wafer family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Wafer Family History

Wafer Surname Meaning

English:: occupational name from Middle English Anglo-Norman French wafrer ‘waferer’ i.e. a maker or seller of wafers or thin cakes. Wafrer was shortened to Wafre or Wafer to avoid the awkward repetition of the -r-. Waferers sold sweet spiced cakes but they were also concerned with the provision of wafers for the eucharist. This surname is also found in Ireland particularly in County Wexford. from the Old French personal name Waifar Waifer Old French Gaifier of ancient Germanic origin.

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 Wafer family from?

You can see how Wafer families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Wafer family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Wafer families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 28 Wafer families living in Lancashire. This was about 33% of all the recorded Wafer's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Wafer families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Wafer surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Wafer 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 Wafer. 37% of Wafer men worked as a General Labourer and 95% of Wafer women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Wafer were House Painter and Typist.

View Census Data for Wafer | 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
    37%
  • Dock Labourer
    28%
  • Colliery Hewer (below) H W
    19%
  • House Painter
    19%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    95%
  • Typist
    6%

What Wafer family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 8,000 census records available for the last name Wafer. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Wafer census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Wafer

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Wafer. 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 Wafer immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Wafer. For the veterans among your Wafer ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Wafer military records

You've only scratched the surface of Wafer family history

Discover More

What is the average Wafer lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Wafer life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 1990. The average life expectancy for Wafer in 1944 was 39, and 67 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Wafer

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Wafer 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 Wafer family tree

Explore Your Tree
Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial