History of your Surname
Get access to Wake family records.Start a free trial

Wake Family History

Wake Name Meaning

English:: occupational name for ‘(man of) the watch’ from Middle English wak wake ‘wake vigil watch period of guard duty’ (Old English wacu Old Norse vaka). It alternates with the synonymous Middle English wache (Old English wacce) hence the variant Watch. The surname was also interchangeable with Waite (the equivalent Old French term) which like Wake was sometimes translated as Latin vigil ‘(one who is) watchful alert’. Compare the synonymous Vail . When the bearers had high social status the surname probably denoted an officer with responsibility for the security of a castle town or royal person. Compare Wakeman . variant of Wack .

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


Similar surnames: Wade, Lake, Wale, Cake, Ware, Hake, Ake, Way, Rake, Waker

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Wake family from?

You can see how Wake families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Wake family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Wake families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 556 Wake families living in Durham. This was about 22% of all the recorded Wake's in United Kingdom. Durham had the highest population of Wake families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Wake surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Wake 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 Wake. 12% of Wake men worked as a General Labourer and 72% of Wake women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Wake were Motor Driver and Housewife. .

View Census Data for Wake | 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
    12%
  • Builders Labourer
    6%
  • Gardener
    5%
  • Motor Driver
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Private Means
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Wake family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 57,000 census records available for the last name Wake. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Wake census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Wake

Passenger Lists

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

Draft Cards

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

View all Wake military records

You've only scratched the surface of Wake family history

Discover More

What is the average Wake lifespan?

Between 1956 and 2004, in the United States, Wake life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1962, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Wake in 1956 was 58, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Wake

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Wake family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Wake last name

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