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 Wager family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Wager Family History

Wager Surname Meaning

English (of Norman origin): from an Anglo-Norman French variant of gaugeor ‘gauger (official who measured liquids)’ or of gag(e)ure ‘bet wager’. Compare Gager though the evidence for that suggests more strongly an occupational name.

German (also Wäger) Swiss German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): from Middle High German wæger ‘weigher’ German Waager an occupational name for an official in charge of the city scales responsible for weighing produce especially produce offered as rent in kind or for an official in charge of checking weights and measures used by merchants.

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 Wager family from?

You can see how Wager families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Wager family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Wager families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 218 Wager families living in London. This was about 27% of all the recorded Wager's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Wager families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Wager 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 Wager 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 Wager. 17% of Wager men worked as a General Labourer and 73% of Wager women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Wager were Carpenter joiner and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Wager | 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
    17%
  • House Painter
    9%
  • Police Constable
    6%
  • Carpenter joiner
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    73%
  • Housewife
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    3%

What Wager family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 51,000 census records available for the last name Wager. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Wager census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Wager

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Wager. 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 Wager immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 7,000 military records available for the last name Wager. For the veterans among your Wager ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Wager military records

You've only scratched the surface of Wager family history

Discover More

What is the average Wager lifespan?

Between 1947 and 2004, in the United States, Wager life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1957, and highest in 1951. The average life expectancy for Wager in 1947 was 60, and 70 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Wager

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

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