NameCensus.

UK surname

Waye

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "path" or "way."

In the 1881 census there were 90 people recorded with the Waye surname, ranking it #20,965 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 146, ranked #24,173, down from #20,965 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sydenham Damarel, Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841) and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cowie, Torbay and South Hams.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Waye is 166 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 62.2%.

1881 census count

90

Ranked #20,965

Modern count

146

2016, ranked #24,173

Peak year

1998

166 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Waye had 90 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,965 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 146 in 2016, ranked #24,173.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 153 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Waye surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Waye surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Waye 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 49 #24,448
1861 historical 55 #27,007
1881 historical 90 #20,965
1891 historical 143 #18,920
1901 historical 135 #19,203
1911 historical 153 #17,633
1997 modern 155 #20,684
1998 modern 166 #20,329
1999 modern 155 #21,375
2000 modern 151 #21,684
2001 modern 143 #22,133
2002 modern 139 #22,991
2003 modern 154 #21,308
2004 modern 158 #21,077
2005 modern 145 #22,253
2006 modern 149 #22,013
2007 modern 143 #22,924
2008 modern 147 #22,720
2009 modern 140 #24,033
2010 modern 142 #24,352
2011 modern 148 #23,520
2012 modern 146 #23,681
2013 modern 146 #24,107
2014 modern 142 #24,734
2015 modern 141 #24,723
2016 modern 146 #24,173

Geography

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Where Wayes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sydenham Damarel, Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841), London parishes, Millom, Muncaster and St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cowie, Torbay, South Hams, Kensington and Chelsea and Forth, Braehead and Auchengray. 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 Sydenham Damarel Devon
2 Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841) Devon
3 London parishes London 3
4 Millom, Muncaster Cumberland
5 St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cowie Stirling
2 Torbay 008 Torbay
3 South Hams 003 South Hams
4 Kensington and Chelsea 009 Kensington and Chelsea
5 Forth, Braehead and Auchengray South Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Waye

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Waye

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Waye is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Waye is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Waye 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 Waye 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 Waye, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Waye

The surname WAYE is of Anglo-Saxon origin, deriving from the Old English words 'weg' and 'wæg', meaning a path or road. It is believed to have originated in the 7th century AD in the regions of modern-day England that were inhabited by the Anglo-Saxons.

WAYE was initially used as a topographic name, referring to someone who lived near a well-travelled path or road. It is also suggested that the name may have been used to describe a person who worked as a guide or pathfinder, leading travelers along routes and pathways.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname WAYE can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and property in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This record mentions a landowner named Willelmus Waye in the county of Devonshire.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms such as Waye, Weye, and Wey, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation common during that time. One notable example is Sir Thomas Waye, a knight from Gloucestershire who participated in the Wars of the Roses in the 15th century.

During the 16th century, the surname WAYE was associated with several notable figures, including John Waye (1496-1557), an English Protestant reformer and Bishop of Taunton, and Sir Edmund Waye (1525-1592), a Member of Parliament and landowner in Somerset.

In the 17th century, the name WAYE was found in various parts of England, including Devon, Somerset, and Gloucestershire. One notable bearer was Robert Waye (1610-1684), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Devon who served as a Member of Parliament.

Other historical figures with the surname WAYE include Thomas Waye (1657-1735), a renowned English architect responsible for designing several churches in London, and William Waye (1733-1810), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War.

Throughout its history, the surname WAYE has been associated with various place names and locations, such as Waye Farm in Devonshire and Waye Lane in Somerset, further reinforcing its connection to paths and roads.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Waye families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Waye 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. Devon leads with 51 Wayes recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.91x.

County Total Index
Devon 51 27.91x
Kent 11 3.67x
Lancashire 7 0.67x
Glamorgan 6 3.93x
Gloucestershire 6 3.48x
Middlesex 4 0.46x
Surrey 2 0.47x
Cambridgeshire 1 1.80x
Wiltshire 1 1.29x
Yorkshire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Okehampton in Devon leads with 14 Wayes recorded in 1881 and an index of 2028.99x.

Place Total Index
Okehampton 14 2028.99x
Deptford St Paul 8 34.63x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 6 37.01x
Buckfastleigh 6 714.29x
Eglwysilan 6 226.42x
Moreton Hampstead 5 1063.83x
Dalton In Furness 4 99.50x
Exeter St Edmund 4 1025.64x
Plympton St Mary 4 377.36x
Ashburton 3 344.83x
Combeinteignhead 3 2307.69x
Islington London 3 3.53x
Bridford 2 1538.46x
Broadhempston 2 1176.47x
Gorton 2 20.43x
Lambeth 2 2.61x
North Tawton 2 357.14x
Stoke Damerel 2 15.64x
Tonbridge 2 18.52x
Chagford 1 227.27x
Clerkenwell London 1 4.83x
Devonport 1 47.62x
Dunsford 1 434.78x
East Stonehouse 1 27.78x
Sculcoates 1 7.25x
Walmer 1 76.92x
West Derby 1 3.28x
West Lavington 1 270.27x
Wisbech St Peter 1 35.84x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 7
Mary 4
Emily 3
Emma 3
Jane 3
Alice 2
Amelia 2
Ann 2
Eliza 2
Ellen 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Amanda 1
Annie 1
Edith 1
Effie 1
Emilie 1
Gertrude 1
Julia 1
Lillia 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Maria 1
Sarah 1
Thendusia 1
Thirza 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 7
George 6
James 6
Henry 5
John 5
Joseph 3
Alfred 1
Elstone 1
Gadida 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Hry. 1
Job 1
Joe 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Thomas 1

FAQ

Waye surname: questions and answers

How common was the Waye surname in 1881?

In 1881, 90 people were recorded with the Waye surname. That placed it at #20,965 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Waye surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 146 in 2016. That gives Waye a modern rank of #24,173.

What does the Waye surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "path" or "way."

What does the Waye map show?

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