NameCensus.

UK surname

Wait

An occupational surname referring to a watchman, guard, or gatekeeper.

In the 1881 census there were 1,519 people recorded with the Wait surname, ranking it #2,766 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 981, ranked #5,890, down from #2,766 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Torfaen, Manchester and South Northamptonshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wait is 1,519 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 35.4%.

1881 census count

1,519

Ranked #2,766

Modern count

981

2016, ranked #5,890

Peak year

1881

1,519 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wait had 1,519 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,766 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 981 in 2016, ranked #5,890.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,519 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Wait surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wait surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wait 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 1,470 #1,954
1861 historical 1,204 #2,356
1881 historical 1,519 #2,766
1891 historical 1,439 #3,041
1901 historical 1,372 #3,663
1911 historical 1,341 #3,568
1997 modern 1,003 #5,491
1998 modern 1,047 #5,456
1999 modern 1,051 #5,480
2000 modern 1,053 #5,457
2001 modern 1,022 #5,487
2002 modern 1,032 #5,554
2003 modern 1,014 #5,530
2004 modern 1,001 #5,592
2005 modern 972 #5,661
2006 modern 920 #5,936
2007 modern 922 #5,981
2008 modern 939 #5,936
2009 modern 991 #5,801
2010 modern 1,015 #5,816
2011 modern 996 #5,843
2012 modern 949 #5,986
2013 modern 969 #5,972
2014 modern 1,000 #5,857
2015 modern 995 #5,831
2016 modern 981 #5,890

Geography

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Where Waits are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H, Manchester and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Torfaen, Manchester, South Northamptonshire and Northumberland. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 3
3 East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H Gloucestershire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Torfaen 004 Torfaen
2 Torfaen 008 Torfaen
3 Manchester 015 Manchester
4 South Northamptonshire 009 South Northamptonshire
5 Northumberland 003 Northumberland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wait

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wait

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Wait, 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 Wait surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Wait 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, Wait 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

Wait is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wait falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Wait 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 Wait, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Wait

The surname Wait originates from England and traces its roots back to the early 12th century. It likely derived from the Old English word "wait," meaning to watch or guard, suggesting that the earliest bearers of this name may have been employed as watchmen or sentries.

In ancient records, the name appears in various spellings, such as Wayte, Waite, and Waight, reflecting the inconsistencies in spelling during medieval times. One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, which mention a person named Osbert le Waite.

The surname Wait is also associated with several place names in England, such as Wait in Gloucestershire and Waite in Staffordshire. These locations may have served as the original homesteads or areas of residence for families bearing this surname.

Among the notable individuals with the surname Wait throughout history are William Wait (c. 1455-1536), an English composer and church musician during the Tudor period. Another prominent figure was Sir John Wait (1558-1638), an English diplomat and politician who served as Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire under King James I.

In the 17th century, Richard Wait (1609-1688) gained recognition as a renowned English clergyman and scholar, holding the position of Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford. During the same period, Samuel Wait (1636-1700) was a respected English nonconformist minister and author.

Moving into the 18th century, Benjamin Wait (1734-1804) was an American Revolutionary War soldier and one of the founders of Marietta, Ohio. His legacy as a pioneer and settler in the Ohio Territory remains significant in American history.

These are just a few examples of the many individuals bearing the surname Wait who have left their mark on various fields throughout the centuries, contributing to the rich tapestry of this name's historical legacy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wait families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wait 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 145 Waits recorded in 1881 and an index of 0.98x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 145 0.98x
Gloucestershire 143 4.94x
Wiltshire 135 10.35x
Yorkshire 106 0.73x
Northumberland 104 4.74x
Somerset 84 3.54x
Surrey 71 0.99x
Lancashire 63 0.36x
Sussex 59 2.37x
Berkshire 53 4.79x
Monmouthshire 41 3.85x
Staffordshire 40 0.80x
Durham 38 0.87x
Essex 35 1.20x
Northamptonshire 35 2.52x
Nottinghamshire 33 1.66x
Hampshire 31 1.03x
Lincolnshire 29 1.23x
Warwickshire 26 0.70x
Roxburghshire 25 9.36x
Glamorgan 24 0.93x
Kent 20 0.40x
Berwickshire 19 10.64x
Cheshire 19 0.58x
Derbyshire 17 0.74x
Leicestershire 17 1.04x
West Lothian 16 7.20x
Buckinghamshire 13 1.46x
Oxfordshire 11 1.21x
Shropshire 10 0.78x
Lanarkshire 8 0.17x
Ayrshire 7 0.63x
Huntingdonshire 7 2.39x
Radnorshire 6 5.04x
Worcestershire 5 0.26x
Devon 4 0.13x
Banffshire 3 0.98x
Dunbartonshire 2 0.50x
Royal Navy 2 1.14x
Bedfordshire 1 0.13x
Channel Islands 1 0.23x
Cumberland 1 0.08x
Herefordshire 1 0.17x
Selkirkshire 1 0.75x
Westmorland 1 0.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sheffield in Yorkshire leads with 38 Waits recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.17x.

Place Total Index
Sheffield 38 8.17x
Corsham 33 173.41x
Bethnal Green London 31 4.84x
Hackney London 20 2.42x
West Ham 20 3.11x
North Seaton 19 206.52x
Newport 17 33.42x
Bathgate 16 33.18x
Backwell 15 308.01x
Burghclere 15 390.63x
Harwell 15 366.75x
Marshfield 15 194.05x
Chelsea London 14 3.15x
Islington London 14 0.98x
Westoe 14 5.63x
Ecclesfield 13 12.13x
Manchester 13 1.65x
Marston Maisey 13 1382.98x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 12 4.41x
Ford 12 149.63x
Kingston On Thames 12 6.95x
Longbenton 12 12.91x
Nether Hallam 12 6.07x
North Shields 12 27.40x
Norton Bavant 12 902.26x
Shoreditch London 12 1.88x
Bermondsey 11 2.51x
Kelso 11 41.32x
Nottingham St Mary 11 2.14x
Sonning 11 90.02x
Sprouston 11 211.95x
Ystradyfodwg 11 4.88x
Ancroft 10 129.70x
Birmingham 10 0.81x
Brighton 10 1.99x
Camberwell 10 1.06x
Dursley 10 84.10x
Reading St Mary 10 11.28x
Swainswick 10 312.50x
Tanfield 10 19.16x
Trowbridge 10 17.34x
Tynemouth 10 8.51x
West Kington 10 653.59x
Westruther 10 294.12x
Whitechapel London 10 6.88x
Airyholm W Howthrp 9 4285.71x
Leicester St Margaret 9 2.26x
Lichfield St Chad 9 80.36x
St Woollos 9 7.56x
Templenewsam 9 85.07x
Upton Cum Chalvey 9 25.33x
Walsall Foreign 9 3.50x
Awre 8 134.23x
Battle 8 47.68x
Bitton 8 31.77x
Bromfield 8 280.70x
Cardiff St John 8 9.54x
Clifton 8 5.47x
Derby All Sts 8 41.47x
Farmborough 8 187.35x
Kensington London 8 0.98x
Peasmarsh 8 189.13x
Rye 8 33.86x
Stoke Newington London 8 6.96x
West Bromwich 8 2.81x
Westbury On Severn East 8 12.23x
Westbury On Trym 8 8.16x
Ardwick 7 4.43x
Aston 7 0.68x
Barford St John 7 1707.32x
Bishops Cannings 7 144.93x
Chorlton On Medlock 7 2.52x
Clevedon 7 28.35x
Frithville Boston Sibsey 7 454.55x
Ham 7 218.07x
Kimbolton 7 113.45x
Litchborough 7 397.73x
Toxteth Park 7 1.18x
Brislington 6 135.75x
Stone In Tenterden 6 309.28x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 95
John 83
George 57
James 50
Henry 41
Thomas 31
Charles 27
Joseph 20
Edward 17
Robert 17
Richard 15
Albert 14
Walter 14
Samuel 13
Arthur 11
David 11
Alfred 10
Alexander 8
Edwin 8
Frederick 8
Ernest 7
Harry 7
Daniel 6
Francis 6
Frank 6
Herbert 6
Fred 4
Andrew 3
Sidney 3
Wm. 3
Adam 2
Elias 2
Fredrick 2
Guildford 2
Harold 2
Hugh 2
Isaac 2
Jas. 2
Jeremiah 2
Jesse 2
Josh. 2
Percy 2
Peter 2
Robt. 2
Stephen 2
Sydney 2
Thos. 2
Willm. 2
Eber 1
Edmond 1

FAQ

Wait surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wait surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,519 people were recorded with the Wait surname. That placed it at #2,766 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wait surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 981 in 2016. That gives Wait a modern rank of #5,890.

What does the Wait surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a watchman, guard, or gatekeeper.

What does the Wait map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Wait 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.