NameCensus.

UK surname

Waight

A surname derived from the Old English word "wæcce," meaning watchman or sentry.

In the 1881 census there were 471 people recorded with the Waight surname, ranking it #7,088 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 442, ranked #10,943, down from #7,088 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Kingston-on-Thames and Ealing, Chiswick. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hambleton, Bournemouth and Trafford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Waight is 733 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 6.2%.

1881 census count

471

Ranked #7,088

Modern count

442

2016, ranked #10,943

Peak year

1861

733 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Waight had 471 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,088 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 442 in 2016, ranked #10,943.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 733 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Waight surname distribution map

The map shows where the Waight surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Waight surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Waight over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 384 #6,235
1861 historical 733 #3,720
1881 historical 471 #7,088
1891 historical 728 #5,439
1901 historical 628 #6,820
1911 historical 692 #6,137
1997 modern 501 #9,288
1998 modern 510 #9,448
1999 modern 502 #9,634
2000 modern 488 #9,800
2001 modern 473 #9,862
2002 modern 488 #9,802
2003 modern 471 #9,902
2004 modern 479 #9,811
2005 modern 479 #9,737
2006 modern 468 #9,952
2007 modern 486 #9,771
2008 modern 463 #10,204
2009 modern 472 #10,286
2010 modern 481 #10,332
2011 modern 472 #10,400
2012 modern 463 #10,457
2013 modern 479 #10,343
2014 modern 471 #10,541
2015 modern 453 #10,769
2016 modern 442 #10,943

Geography

Back to top

Where Waights are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Kingston-on-Thames, Ealing, Chiswick and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hambleton, Bournemouth, Trafford, Wiltshire and Lambeth. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 London parishes London 1
2 Kingston-on-Thames Surrey
3 London parishes London 3
4 Ealing, Chiswick Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hambleton 004 Hambleton
2 Bournemouth 019 Bournemouth
3 Trafford 015 Trafford
4 Wiltshire 038 Wiltshire
5 Lambeth 034 Lambeth

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Waight

These lists show first names that appear often with the Waight surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Waight

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Waight, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Waight surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Waight household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Waight is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Waight is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Waight falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Waight is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Waight, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Waight

The surname Waight has its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "wæcce," which means "watchman" or "guard." This suggests that the name originally referred to an occupation or someone who performed duties as a watchman or guard.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Waight can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, dated 1273, where it is spelled as "Wakyt." It is also mentioned in the Lancashire Inquests in 1311 as "del Wayt." These early spellings highlight the variations in the name's spelling over time.

The Waight surname is closely tied to the village of Waytown in Devon, England, which was once known as "Waytun" in the Domesday Book of 1086. This connection suggests that the name may have been derived from a place name or a person associated with that particular location.

One notable person with the surname Waight was John Waight, a 16th-century English composer and organist who lived from approximately 1540 to 1608. He served as the organist at Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford and contributed to the development of early English church music.

Another historical figure was William Waight, a 17th-century English clergyman and academic who lived from 1624 to 1672. He was a Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, and served as the rector of Graveley in Hertfordshire.

In the 18th century, Thomas Waight (1735-1793) was a prominent English architect known for his work on several churches and country houses in Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire.

The 19th century saw the birth of Alfred Waight (1835-1897), an English artist and illustrator who gained recognition for his illustrations in books and magazines of the Victorian era.

Lastly, Reginald Waight (1897-1971) was a 20th-century British architect and town planner who made significant contributions to the design of post-war housing and urban development projects in London and other parts of England.

While the surname Waight has undergone various spelling variations over the centuries, it has maintained its connection to its English roots and the historical occupations and locations associated with its origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Waight families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Waight surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 134 Waights recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.93x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 134 2.93x
Surrey 57 2.56x
Wiltshire 38 9.39x
Hampshire 32 3.41x
Warwickshire 26 2.25x
Sussex 23 2.98x
Kent 22 1.41x
Yorkshire 17 0.38x
Dorset 16 5.33x
Berkshire 14 4.08x
Cheshire 13 1.29x
Essex 12 1.33x
Buckinghamshire 10 3.62x
Staffordshire 9 0.58x
Lancashire 8 0.15x
Lincolnshire 8 1.09x
Northamptonshire 8 1.86x
Worcestershire 7 1.17x
Devon 6 0.63x
Hertfordshire 2 0.63x
Denbighshire 1 0.58x
Glamorgan 1 0.13x
Lanarkshire 1 0.07x
Leicestershire 1 0.20x
Royal Navy 1 1.83x
Somerset 1 0.14x
Suffolk 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Chelsea London in Middlesex leads with 26 Waights recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.86x.

Place Total Index
Chelsea London 26 18.86x
Ealing 19 46.47x
Lambeth 17 4.26x
Aston 16 5.04x
Portland 16 99.07x
Fulham London 14 21.10x
Kingston On Thames 13 24.28x
St Pancras London 12 3.26x
Pewsey 11 369.13x
St Bartholomew Great 11 264.42x
Horton 10 740.74x
Brighton 9 5.78x
Manningford Bruce 9 2250.00x
Barnes 8 84.84x
Birmingham 8 2.08x
Bromley London 8 7.95x
Limehouse London 8 15.93x
Peterborough 8 25.68x
Rayleigh 8 384.62x
Walsall Foreign 8 10.03x
Chiswick 7 28.00x
Kings Norton 7 13.07x
Mortimer 7 426.83x
Runcorn 7 30.07x
Titchfield 7 99.01x
Walesby 7 1400.00x
Greenwich 6 8.24x
Halifax 6 9.01x
Melksham 6 85.35x
South Bersted 6 91.46x
Southwark St George Martyr 6 6.52x
Tranmere 6 16.17x
Trowbridge 6 33.56x
Westminster St 6 35.57x
Acton 5 18.64x
Alverstoke 5 14.73x
Clerkenwell London 5 4.63x
Doncaster 5 15.10x
Portsea 5 2.72x
Southampton All Sts 5 31.08x
Southwark Christchurch 5 23.32x
St Martin In Fields 5 18.25x
Bradfield 4 22.88x
Canterbury St Mildred 4 108.11x
Hammersmith London 4 3.55x
Liverpool 4 1.21x
Plumstead 4 7.69x
Battersea 3 1.78x
Bradford On Avon 3 23.17x
Camberwell 3 1.03x
Millbrook 3 12.70x
Plymouth Charles The 3 7.15x
Reading St Mary 3 10.91x
Swindon 3 9.56x
West Ham 3 1.50x
Arundel 2 46.30x
Bray 2 19.82x
Brookland 2 294.12x
Deptford St Nicholas 2 16.14x
Easthampstead 2 108.70x
Farnworth 2 6.15x
Foxcott 2 2500.00x
Kirkdale 2 2.19x
Mile End Old Town 2 2.77x
Shipley 2 114.29x
South Stoneham 2 9.83x
Stoke Damerel 2 3.00x
Subdeanary 2 96.62x
Bermondsey 1 0.73x
Cricket Malherbie 1 1250.00x
Edgbaston 1 2.80x
Egham 1 7.30x
Glasgow 1 0.38x
Great Baddow 1 31.15x
Hound 1 15.72x
Lowestoft 1 3.80x
Minster In Sheppey 1 3.87x
Portsmouth 1 4.63x
Preston 1 7.42x
St Marylebone London 1 0.41x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Waight surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Waight surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
George 20
William 20
Charles 19
Thomas 17
John 16
Henry 12
Alfred 11
Frederick 9
Joseph 9
James 8
Robert 8
Albert 6
Harry 6
Walter 6
Edwin 4
Arthur 3
Frank 3
Fredrick 3
Herbert 3
Alexander 2
Benjamin 2
C. 2
Oliver 2
Samuel 2
Carle 1
Clara 1
Cornelius 1
Daniel 1
Edwd. 1
Ernest 1
Esau 1
F. 1
Fredk. 1
Gifford 1
Goodrich 1
Hilbreth 1
Hounsome 1
Jonathan 1
Lewis 1
Luke 1
Owen 1
Richard 1
Robt. 1
Samiel 1
Saml. 1
Saml.W. 1
Sidney 1
Tay 1
Thos. 1
Williams 1

FAQ

Waight surname: questions and answers

How common was the Waight surname in 1881?

In 1881, 471 people were recorded with the Waight surname. That placed it at #7,088 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Waight surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 442 in 2016. That gives Waight a modern rank of #10,943.

What does the Waight surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English word "wæcce," meaning watchman or sentry.

What does the Waight map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Waight bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.