Find out how popular the last name Waiter is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Waiter.

Waiter, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Waiter surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Waiter in America

Waiter is the 141140th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Waiter surname appeared 118 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Waiter.

We can also compare 2010 data for Waiter to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Waiter

The surname WAITER is an English occupational surname that originated in the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English word "waitere," which means "watchman" or "guard." In medieval times, a waiter was someone who guarded and protected others, particularly during travel or in towns and villages.

The name first appeared in historical records in the 13th century, primarily in the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex in eastern England. One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname was John le Waiter, who was mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk in 1273.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the surname began to spread to other parts of England. It was often associated with individuals who lived near town gates or walls, as they were responsible for guarding and protecting those areas. The name also appeared in various spellings, such as Wayter, Wayter, and Whaiter, reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and spelling.

In the 16th century, the surname WAITER gained prominence when Sir Nicholas WAITER (c. 1515-1587) served as the Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench under Queen Elizabeth I. He was a prominent figure in the English legal system and played a significant role in upholding the law during a tumultuous period in English history.

Another notable figure with the surname WAITER was John WAITER (1566-1635), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford from 1626 to 1634. He was a respected scholar and theologian during the reign of King James I.

In the 17th century, the surname WAITER was associated with several notable individuals, including Robert WAITER (1616-1689), an English philosopher and theologian who was a prominent figure in the Church of England. He was known for his writings on ethics and moral philosophy.

In the 18th century, the name WAITER was found in various parts of England, as well as in some parts of Scotland and Ireland. One notable figure from this period was Edmund WAITER (1729-1816), an English portrait painter who was highly regarded for his skills in capturing likenesses.

Throughout the 19th century, the surname WAITER continued to be found across the United Kingdom. One prominent individual was Arthur WAITER (1834-1901), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy and was awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest military honor in the British Empire, for his bravery during the Crimean War.

While the surname WAITER has its roots in the English language and originated in medieval England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including North America, Australia, and other English-speaking countries, due to migration and the expansion of the British Empire.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Waiter

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Waiter.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Waiter was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Waiter has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Waiter was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Waiter, please contact us.

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